New Concepts: Timespan and Place (March 2020)

RDA New Concepts Series: Timespan and Place
Timespan
March 18, 20201
Robert L. Maxwell

RDA New Concepts Series: Timespan and Place March 18, 20202
The 2020 RDA – Where
does it come from?
• A major revision of RDA,
based on
• IFLA Library Reference
Model (2017) = “LRM”

LRM
• LRM is a consolidation of
• Functional Requirements for
Bibliographic Records (FRBR)
(1997)
Authority Data (FRAD) (2009)
Subject Authority Data (FRSAD)
(2010)

The FRBR/LRM bibliographic universe

Timespan in LRM
• Major difference between LRM and the FRBR suite of
models
• Timespan was previously modeled as an attribute of
the other entities
• LRM models timespan as a separate entity with
relationships to the other entities

Timespan in LRM
• Definition: A temporal extent having a beginning, an end
and a duration
• Can be identified by specifying its beginning and end
• May be expressed as a year even though a particular
event took place during only a portion of the year
• Only two attributes in LRM, beginning and ending

Timespan

Timespan
• A temporal extent having a
beginning, an end and a
duration
• Can be any length
• An instant of time – the
stroke of midnight on
December 31, 2019
• A long period – The
Mesozoic Era
• An instance of timespan is
described by recording a
metadata description set

Linked data
RDF
• Linked data is a term used to describe a widely-used system
that links data from different data sources on the Web.
• This system is called Resource Description Framework or RDF.
• RDF is usually written in XML, and is designed to be understood
by computers. It is not designed to be displayed to people. But:
• RDF triples are a translation of the XML that is comprehensible
to humans.
• Linked data consists of a series of triples, many of which may be
needed to fully describe a particular entity.

Linked data
RDF Triples
• An RDF triple is a statement about a particular
element in the description of an entity.
• It follows a quasi-English-language syntax
Subject => Predicate => Object
A person => Has a name => John

Linked data
RDF Triples and RDA
Subject (the Domain) => Predicate (the Element) => Object (the Range)
Person (an RDA entity) => has date of birth => Timespan (an RDA entity)
Katharine Hepburn => has date of birth => May 12, 1907

Metadata description sets
• New vocabulary for what we have in the past called
“records,” e.g., “authority records for persons,” etc.
• RDA Glossary definition:
• One or more metadata statements that describe and
relate individual instances of one or more RDA
entities.
• A metadata statement is “a piece of metadata that
assigns a value to an RDA element that describes an
individual instance of an RDA entity.”

and Linked data
• An RDF triple is an example of a metadata
statement
• So a set of RDF triples that when combined to
describe an entity is a metadata description set
• Examples in the Toolkit labeled “View in Context
Example” are metadata description sets
consisting of RDF triples
• There is an example under the “biographical
information” element

Short excursus on linked data

Another possible element:
has authorized access point for person –
Stöcker, Helene, 1869-1943

Timespan
• Do we use timespan in current cataloging?
YES!

Timespan
Current uses in cataloging
010 n 50038123
046 ǂf 1907-05-12 ǂg 2003-06-29 ǂ2 edtf
100 1_ Hepburn, Katharine, ǂd 1907-2003
670 IMDb, July 2, 2003 ǂb (Katharine Hepburn;
b. May 12, 1907, Hartford, Conn.; d.
June 29, 2003, Old Saybrook, Conn.)
678 0_ Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003) was an
American actress.
Nomen strings representing timespans
19800718
20120824074752.0
1907-05-12
2003-06-29
1907-2003
1907
2003
July 2, 2003
May 12, 1907
June 29, 2003

Timespan
045 _0 ǂb d1183
046 ǂk 1968 ǂ2 edtf
130 0_ Lion in winter (Motion picture)
245 14 The lion in winter / ǂc Haworth Productions, Ltd. ; Joseph E. Levine
presents an Avco Embassy Film ; screenplay by James Goldman ;
produced by Martin Poll ; directed by Anthony Harvey.
264 _1 New York, NY : ǂb Kino Lorber, ǂc [2018]
264 _4 ǂc ©2018
300 1 videodisc (134 min.) : ǂb sound, color ; ǂc 4 3/4 in.
500 Originally produced as a motion picture in 1968.
586 8_ Winner, Academy Award for Best Actress, 1968.
586 8_ Golden Globe for best motion picture (drama), 1969.
600 00 Henry ǂb II, ǂc King of England, ǂd 1133-1189 ǂv Drama.
600 00 Eleanor, ǂc of Aquitaine, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of England,
ǂd 1122?-1204 ǂv Drama.
651 0_ Great Britain ǂx History ǂy Henry II, 1154-1189 ǂv Drama.
648 _7 1154-1189 ǂ2 fast
700 1_ Hepburn, Katharine, ǂd 1907-2003, ǂe actor.
Nomen strings representing
timespans
20180305
20180721163703.0
d1183
1968
2018
©2018
134 min.
1969
1133-1189
1122?-1204
1154-1189
1907-2003

• FAST record for 648 _7 1154-1189 ǂ2 fast
Timespan
016 7_ fst01355400 ‡2 OCoLC
024 7_ http://id.worldcat.org/fast/1355400 ‡2 uri
040 OCoLC ‡b eng ‡c OCoLC ‡f fast
148 1154-1189
448 Henry II, Reign of (Great Britain)

010 sh 85139013
040 DLC ǂc DLC ǂd DLC
053 CB353 ǂc Civilization
053 D201.7 ǂb D201.8 ǂc History
150 Twelfth century
450 12th century
550 ǂw g ǂa Middle Ages
Timespan

010 sh 96005468
040 DLC ǂc DLC
150 Nineteen fifties
450 1950s
450 50s (Twentieth century decade)
450 Fifties (Twentieth century decade)
550 ǂw g ǂa Twentieth century
Timespan

010 sh2007006517
040 WaU ǂb eng ǂc DLC
150 Nineteen fifty-one, A.D.
450 1951 A.D.
450 Nineteen hundred fifty-one, A.D.
450 Year nineteen fifty-one, A.D.
550 ǂw g ǂa Nineteen fifties
670 Work cat.: It's that special year, 1951 [VR] c1990.
Timespan

010 sh 85004387
053 0 PS324
150 American poetry ǂy 20th century
550 Black Mountain school (Group of poets)
Timespan

010 sh 85024078
053 _0 DS753.82 ǂb DS773.6
151 China ǂx History ǂy Qing dynasty, 1644-1912
451 ǂw nne ǂa China ǂx History ǂy Chʻing dynasty, 1644-1912
451 China ǂx History ǂy Manchu dynasty, 1644-1912
400 3_ Chʻing dynasty, ǂd 1644-1912
400 3_ Manchu dynasty, ǂd 1644-1912
400 3_ Qing dynasty, ǂd 1644-1912
670 Britannica Macro.: ǂb v. 3, p. 238 (Chʻing dynasty, pinyin
Qing, also called Manchu dynasty)
Timespan

010 sh2002012455
040 DLC ǂb eng ǂc DLC ǂd DLC
073 H 1148 ǂz lcsh
182 ǂy 12th century
680 ǂi Use as a chronological subdivision under
headings for art and art forms of all nations,
regions, and ethnic groups, except those headings
for art and art forms of China, Japan, and Korea.
Timespan

Timespan
• Describe by recording a
metadata description set
• An element can be repeated
• Any of the recording methods
can be used, but certain sub-
elements only allow limited
methods.

Timespan
• A description of a timespan must
record an appellation element
 name of timespan or
 preferred name of timespan or
 access point for timespan or
 authorized access point for
timespan or
 identifier for timespan
• If recording Gregorian or Julian dates,
use B.C. if appropriate; use A.D. only if
dates span both B.C. and A.D.

Preferred name of timespan
Timespan => has preferred name of timespan => 1154-1189

Authorized access point for
timespan
=> has authorized access point for timespan => 1154-1189

Variant access point for
timespan
=> has authorized access point for timespan => 1154-1189
=> has variant access point for timespan => Henry II, Reign
of (Great Britain)

Variant access point for
timespan
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => 7 November 1917
=> has variant access point for timespan => 25 October 1917 (Julian
calendar)
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => 9 November 1938-10
November 1938
=> has variant access point for timespan => 15 Cheshvan 5699-16
Cheshvan 5699 (Hebrew calendar)
=> has variant access point for timespan => Kristallnacht
=> has variant access point for timespan => November 9, 1938-
November 10, 1938
=> has variant access point for timespan => 1938 November 9-1938
November 10

Timespan
• Some “descriptive” elements for timespan
• beginning
• category of timespan
• ending
• note on timespan

Category of Timespan
• Definition: a type to which a timespan belongs
• Can be recorded using any of the recording methods
• If structured, comes from a vocabulary encoding scheme
• Currently there is no VES for this element
• Examples of possible categories of timespan
• Century
• Decade
• Year
• Day
• Minute
• Second
• Geological era
• Epoch
• Historical period

Category of timespan
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => 7 November 1917
=> has variant access point for timespan => 25 October 1917 (Julian
calendar)
=> has category of timespan => Day
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => Jurassic Period
=> has variant access point for timespan => 201.3 million B.C.-145
million B.C.
=> has category of timespan => Geological era

Timespan
Beginning, Ending
• Beginning definition and scope: A time at which a
timespan starts. A time may be represented at different
levels of granularity by a calendrical timespan.
• Ending definition and scope: A time at which a timespan
ends. A time may be represented at different levels of
granularity by a calendrical timespan.

Timespan
Beginning, Ending
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => Jurassic Period
=> has variant access point for timespan => 201.3 million B.C.-
145 million B.C.
=> has category of timespan => Geological era
=> has beginning => 201.3 million B.C.
=> has ending => 145 million B.C.

Note on timespan
• Definition and scope: A broad unstructured description
of one or more attributes of a timespan.
Timespan => has authorized access point for timespan => 9 November 1938-10
November 1938
=> has variant access point for timespan => 15 Cheshvan 5699-16
Cheshvan 5699 (Hebrew calendar)
=> has variant access point for timespan => Kristallnacht
=> has note on timespan => The night of November 9-10, 1938, was a
period of intense pogroms when German Nazis attacked Jewish
persons and property. It is referred to as Kristallnacht because of the
broken glass left in the street afterward.

Relationships
• Timespan can be related to any RDA element (including
itself). There are dozens of specific relationship elements
available; for example:
• Copyright date
• Date of birth
• Date of capture
• Date of death
• Date of work
• Duration
• Part of timespan
• Period of activity of person
• Related corporate body of
timespan
• Timespan described in
• Year degree granted

Metadata Description Set
Cluster
Person
has preferred name of person Judy Garland
has date of birth 1922-06-10
has date of death 1969-06-22
has variant name of person Frances Ethel Gumm
has authorized access point Garland, Judy
for person
has variant access point Gumm, Frances Ethel
for person
Timespan
has name of timespan 1922-06-10
has category of timespan day
Timespan
has date of birth
has date of death

Metadata Description Set
Cluster
Person
has preferred name of person Judy Garland
has date of death 1969-06-22
is date of death of
is date of birth of
Timespan
Person
has preferred name of person Derek Russell
Person
has preferred name of person Douglas Lee Mitchell
Corporate body
has authorized access point for c.b. Phi Alpha Theta. Omicron Omega Chapter
(Central Michigan University)
has date of establishment 1969-06-22
is date of establishment of

Timespan

Timespan as a range
of an element
• The domain of this
element is person,
meaning it can be used
to describe a person
• The range of this
element is timespan,
meaning it can only be
related to an instance of
the timespan entity

Timespan –
Can I describe it in MARC?
• Not yet, but
• RDA conceives of timespan as a separate
entity with relationships to other entities so
we need to be thinking about it
• We already do record timespan in subject
cataloging

Timespan –
• The framework is partially there already
• MARC 148 = Heading-Chronological Term
= RDA Authorized access point for timespan
• MARC 448 = See From Tracing-Chronological Term
= RDA Variant access point for timespan
• MARC 548 = Heading-Chronological Term
= Relationship to an instance of an RDA
Timespan entity

Timespan –
• Development needed for descriptive elements
• beginning (548?)
• category of timespan (new subfield in 368 and
redefinition of the field?)
• ending (548?)
• note on timespan (667, 678, or 680?)

Questions?
Comments?

Place
March 18, 202049
Robert L. Maxwell

Place in LRM
• Major difference between LRM and the FRBR suite of
models
• Place was previously modeled as an attribute of the
other entities, though also an entity on its own
• In FRBR “places are treated as entities only to the
extent that they are the subject of a work”
• LRM emphasizes place as a separate entity with
relationships to the other entities

Place in the 2020 RDA
• Following the path of LRM, more opportunity
and encouragement to conceive of place as
an entity with relationships to other entities
rather than simply as attributes of other
entities

Recording methods

Recording methods
• Unstructured
London
• Structured
London (England)
• Identifier
n 79005665
• IRI
http://viaf.org/viaf/261467287

Element reference

The Place Problem
• In Anglo-American cataloging tradition we have long
used the same description and the same authorized
access point for two very different things:
• The geographic area of a place
• The jurisdiction governing that area

The Place Problem
• This causes significant problems and confusion
• MARC coding: X10 or X51?
• A book about Provo, Utah, the place
651 _0 Provo (Utah)
• A book about Provo, Utah, the city government
651 _0 Provo (Utah)
• A book containing city ordinances
110 2_ Provo (Utah)
• A book about a subdivision of the government
610 2_ Provo (Utah). ǂb Coordinating Council
• The authorized access point in the authority record
151 __ Provo (Utah)

The Place Problem
• This particular problem is not solved in the 2020 RDA
• Instructions for place still envisage using the same
description to represent the jurisdiction and the physical
place
• For example, under Prerecording in the element name of
place we are told that “A name of place may used as a
value for Corporate Body: name of corporate body for a
government or community.”
• More work is needed—are jurisdictions more like
corporate bodies? Should they be described as
corporate bodies rather than instances of the place
entity?

Place
010 n 79021240 ǂz sh 85078418
043 n-us-ca
151 Los Angeles (Calif.)
368 ǂb Cities and towns ǂ2 lcsh
368 ǂb County seats ǂ2 aat
370 ǂc United States ǂe California ǂ2 naf
670 The official web site of the City of Los Angeles, July
23, 2011: ǂb home page (City of Los Angeles; LA; L.A.)

Place
010 n 50038123
100 1_ Hepburn, Katharine, ǂd 1907-2003
370 Hartford (Conn.) ǂb Old Saybrook (Conn.) ǂ2 naf
670 Biog. resource center, July 2, 2003 ǂb (Katharine
Hepburn (American actress, 1907-2003);
Contemp. authors: Katharine (Houghton)
Hepburn; b. May 12, 1907, Hartford, Conn.; d.
June 29, 2003, Old Saybrook, Conn.; Complete
Marquis who's who: Katharine Hepburn; b. May
12, 1907, Hartford, Conn.)

Place
043 e-uk--- ǂa e-uk-en ǂa e-fr---
130 0_ Lion in winter (Motion picture)
245 14 The lion in winter / ǂc Haworth Productions, Ltd. ; Joseph E. Levine
presents an Avco Embassy Film ; screenplay by James Goldman ;
produced by Martin Poll ; directed by Anthony Harvey.
257 Great Britain ǂ2 naf
264 _1 New York, NY : ǂb Kino Lorber, ǂc [2018]
600 00 Henry ǂb II, ǂc King of England, ǂd 1133-1189 ǂv Drama.
600 00 Eleanor, ǂc of Aquitaine, Queen, consort of Henry II, King of England,
ǂd 1122?-1204 ǂv Drama.
651 0_ Great Britain ǂx History ǂy Henry II, 1154-1189 ǂv Drama.
651 _7 England. ǂ2 fast ǂ0 (OCoLC)fst01219920
651 _7 France. ǂ2 fast ǂ0 (OCoLC)fst01204289
651 _7 Great Britain. ǂ2 fast ǂ0 (OCoLC)fst01204623
700 1_ Hepburn, Katharine, ǂd 1907-2003, ǂe actor.

Place

Name of Place
• Preferred name of place is “a name of place that is
selected for preference in a specific application or
context.”
• It is to be recorded using “a value of Place: name of
place”
• Name of place is an unstructured description and is
simply recorded as found—no additions

Name of place
• So the “name of place” element as
found on this manifestation is
simply “Paris”

Preferred name of place
• “A name of place that is selected for
preference in a specific application
or context.”

Preferred name of place
• Parigi
• Париж
• Paris
• 巴黎
• Παρίσι
• Palika
• Parizo
And the winner is: Paris!

Authorized access point for place
• Start with preferred name of place: Paris

• Add “additional elements”:
Paris + France

• Result of first option:
Paris, France
• Result of second option:
Paris (France)

SES future in RDA instructions
• Plan to move SESs out of element pages
• Currently

SES future in RDA instructions
Planned:
This will require creating
specific guidance in
policy statements

• Exceptions for Australia, Canada, United States, etc. remain
• Add “additional elements”:
Provo (Utah) not Provo (United States) or Provo (Utah, United States)
London (England) not London (United Kingdom) or London (England,
United Kingdom)

Abbreviations

Abbreviations?
• Current practice
Los Angeles (Calif.)
• Possible result from 2020 RDA
Los Angeles (California)

Variant access point for place
010 n 79021240 ǂz sh 85078418
043 n-us-ca
451 LA (Calif.)
451 L.A. (Calif.)

Other descriptive elements of
Place
• Category of place
• Location
• Note on place

Category of place
• Unstructured: uncontrolled terms
• Structured: follow a vocabulary encoding
scheme
• Example: LCSH, AAT
Cities
County seats
Towns
Villages
Ghost towns
Fur stations
Suburbs
Pirate havens
Model cities

Category of place
010 n 79021240 ǂz sh 85078418
034 ǂd W1181434 ǂe W1181434 ǂf N0340308 ǂg
N0340308 ǂ2 gnis
043 n-us-ca
451 LA (Calif.)
451 L.A. (Calif.)

Location
• Only structured
description allowed

010 n 79021240 ǂz sh 85078418
034 ǂd W1181434 ǂe W1181434 ǂf N0340308 ǂg
N0340308 ǂ2 gnis
043 n-us-ca
451 LA (Calif.)
451 L.A. (Calif.)
March 18, 202082
Location

Coordinates of cartographic
content

Selected Relationship elements
of Place
• Coordinates of cartographic content
• Country associated with person
• Jurisdiction governed
• Place of distribution [manufacture, production,
publication]
• Part of place
• Place of birth [capture, death, etc.]
• Related agent of place
• Related entity of place
• Related timespan of place

Metadata descripton set cluster
Place
has authorized access point for
place => Los Angeles (Calif.)
Person
has authorized access
point for person =>
Jolie, Angelina, 1975-is place of birth of
Manifestation
is place of publication of
Expression
is place of capture of
Person
has authorized access point
for person => Monroe,
Marilyn, 1926-1962
is place of death of

Questions?
Comments?

New Concepts: Timespan and Place (March 2020)

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