Standardization and consistency in cataloging: consistency analysis of five university libraries using different automation system in resource description and access standard applied at the university libraries in Turkey

As it is the same with other sciences, the field of librarianship has to keep up with the rapid changes in information and communication technologies. Therefore, the improved standards for cataloging and classification are constantly updated to the needs of the time's requirements. As a successor to the widely used AACR2, RDA is the latest application field of international cataloging rules. The usage of these standards, which are increasingly becoming widespread in Turkey, by libraries is crucial in terms of international standardization and accessibility of the information to the users by scanning more access methods. This study aims to evaluate the adaptability in the cataloging processes of Turkish libraries who had announced that they had been using the RDA cataloging standards. 5 university libraries in Turkey, each of which have been using different automation systems, have been included in the research in order to make this evaluation. Works that selected among the online catalogues of aforementioned libraries have been examined within the frame of changing rules and new applications along with the RDA standards.. Furthermore librarians who are working in cataloging departments of these libraries have been interviewed in order to put forth their positive/negative views. According to the findings obtained in the study, the research hypothesis was confirmed, since full consistency could not be achieved.