FRBR Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

FRBRFunctional Requirements for

Bibliographic Records

What is FRBR and why is it important?

Christine OliverMcGill University Libraries

[email protected] 2004

Christine Oliver for CLA 2004

What is FRBR? final report of the IFLA Study Group on the

Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

approved by the Standing Committee of the IFLA Section on Cataloguing, Sept. 1997; published in 1998 by K.G. Saur

freely available on the Web:http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.htmhttp://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.pdf


What is it really? the report had 2 purposes:

1. to provide a clearly defined, structured framework for relating the data that are recorded in bibliographic records to the needs of the users of those records2. to recommend a basic level of functionality for records created by national bibliographic agencies (FRBR 1.1)

report describes an entity-relationship model resulting from an analysis of the data in bibliographic records


Purpose of the FRBR model user-focused approach to the

bibliographic record to analyze which parts of the

bibliographic record are used to respond to which user task

to ensure that bibliographic record carries the right amount of information to respond to user needs efficiently


FRBR conceptual model

IFLA but not tied to ISBD not just for “library users” concepts and framework are

applicable to any metadata about a product of intellectual and/or artistic endeavour


User needs Find Identify Select Obtain

Navigate


FRBR model entities

● in bibliographic records ● important to the user ● divided into 3 groups

attributes of the entities

relationshipsbetween the entities


Group 1 entities

products of intellectual or artistic endeavour

• work • expression • manifestation • item


Group 1 entities:

workis realized through

expressionis embodied in

manifestationis exemplified by

FRBR 3.1.1 item


Example

w = idea for the Robinson Crusoe story (in Defoe’s head)

is realized through e = original English text as he wrote it

is embodied inm = London, printed for W. Taylor, 1719

is exemplified byi = copy owned by Yale


Group 2 entities

those responsible for creating, producing, etc., the entities in group 1

• person • corporate body


Group 3 entities

subjects of works

• concept • object • event • place

++ all group 1 and 2 entities can also be subjects


Attributes each entity has a set of

characteristics or attributes (similar to data elements)

attributes can be inherent or externally imputed


Examples of attributes(group 1)

work: title, form or genre, date, medium of performance, coordinates (map) …

expression: title of the expression, form of the expression, language of the expression, type of score …

manifestation: title of the manifestation, publisher, date of publication, form of carrier, dimensions, terms of availability…

item: identifier (e.g. location and call no., barcode), provenance, condition, inscriptions …


Examples of attributes (groups 2 + 3)

person: names, dates, titles …corporate body: name, number, place …concept: term (i.e.word, phrase, or group of

characters used to name or designate) e.g. economics

object: term e.g. ships

event: terme.g. Battle of Hastings

place: terme.g. Ottawa


Relationships links between entities (and the nature of the

links) collocation assist the user to navigate through the

catalogue or database

● relationships between entities of the different groups● relationships between entities of the same group (esp. between group 1 entities)


Examples of relationships(between groups)

person/work created by

person/expression realized by (as in performance)

corporate body/manifestationproduced by

corporate body/item owned by

concept/work is subject of

object/work is subject of


Example of a “family” or hierarchy of Group 1 entities:

work expressions manifest. itemHamlet original text London, 1603 RBD

New York, 1998 MCL BIRK

French trans. (Gide) Paris, 1946 EDUC

Neuchatel, 1949 MCL (Bonnefoy) Paris, 1978 MACD

German trans. Hamburg, 1834 MUSIC

audio-book Paris, 1983 REDP


Example of work to work relationships

Shakespeare, William,1564-1616.Hamlet.subject Modern Hamlets & their soliloquies Critical responses to Hamlet, 1600-1900

imitation Hamlet travestie

transformation Hamlet : opéra en cinq actes / musique de Ambroise Thomas ; paroles de Michel Carré et Jules Barbier

adaptation Hamlet : the young reader's Shakespeare : a retelling / by Adam McKeown


Examples of relationships(within group 1)

work to worksuccessorsupplementcomplementsummarizationadaptationtransformationimitation

work to work: whole/part



expression to expression (same work)abridgement

revisiontranslationarrangement (music)

expression to expression (between different works)

successor, supplement, etc.

expression to work



manifestation to manifestationreproduction

alternate whole/part

manifestation to itemreproduction

item to itemreconfiguration

reproduction


Why is the model useful? maps attributes and relationships to user

tasks enables a better understanding of the

components of the bibliographic record and their function and value to the user

looks at the bibliographic record within the context of large databases

broadens focus beyond manifestations


Impact beyond original charge (record user)

improve navigation focus on collocation reintroduce logical indexing vs. purely

mechanical filing improve the display of information to the

user improve index, sort and display in OPAC make relationships between resources explicit


Current search (e.g. in WorldCat)

title = Robinson Crusoe4,620 records

books, sound recordings, scores, etc.

some sorting

but no clear clustering according to bibliographic relationships


FRBR-ized OPAC meaningful clustering of information clear difference between the work itself

and related works ability to stay at general level to complete

user tasks, or to bore down to specific expressions, manifestations, etc.

clarity of relationships between the different bibliographic resources


User-friendly display

ti = Robinson Crusoeresults should clearly show:

• the work vs related works• indicate nature of relationship between

the different expressions of the workoriginal text, French translation, audio-book, illustrated edition

• cluster manifestations that are the same expression


Example from WorldCat

All = 4620 Computer = 6Books = 4280 Archival = 4Sound = 131 Maps = 1Visual = 117Scores = 49Internet = 20Articles = 12


Impact beyond original charge (record user) con’t

organize information to suit a range of user needsdoes user need a particular manifestation? a particular expression? or does user want to see all expressions, all related works?

improve response to user expectationsuser services in the OPAC at the level of specificity that user requires, e.g. holds


Impact beyond original charge (record creator)

focuses attention on where cataloguing codes need to be strengthened collocation (esp. indexed headings) information about relationships recording information in ways that allow the

retrieval of appropriate sets of records ensure records carry information of value to

the user


Impact beyond original charge (record creator) con’t

model puts some longstanding problems in perspectivee.g. content vs. carrier (or format variation) different but how different

• where is carrier in the hierarchy? separation into abstract entities and

physical embodiment entities • 1 bibliographic resource — 4 entities (and 4 sets of attributes) 2 abstract entities, 2 physical entities


Some current OPAC projects LC’s FRBR display tool AustLIT (gateway for Australian literature) VTLS Virtua (FRBR-ized OPAC) VisualCat (Danish cataloguing client (XML/RDF)) Variations 2 (Indiana University Digital Music

Library Project) OCLC

FictionFinder experiments to redesign WorldCat


Projects to improve cataloguing rules IFLA and the ISBD community

international cataloguing code for bibliographic description and access

AACR community outcomes from the 1997 Toronto conference +

conscious attempt to incorporate FRBR concepts and terminology

AACR3


IFLA Statement of International Cataloguing

Principles broaden Paris Principles new principles build on the conceptual models

of FRBR and FRANAR move toward an international cataloguing

code

affirm ISBDs as foundation for rules for description


AACR community

(1) 1997 International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR basic principles content vs. carrier logical structure of AACR seriality internationalization


AACR community

(2) FRBR model provides new insights -- pushes us to look beyond description and access focus on the catalogue or database focus on user needs and objectives of the

catalogue focus on communicating information about

relationships between entities


AACR3 revision work advancing on many fronts some revision tasks affect almost every chapter

(e.g. FRBR terminology) incorporating FRBR terminology necessitates

incorporating the concepts changes throughout AACR changes beyond the usual scope of amendments AACR3 targeted for 2007, with a general editor

to consolidate the work


FRBR’s benefits aims to get the user to the resource

efficiently clarifies what is important in a

bibliographic record clarifies organizing principles for

structuring the display of large sets of records or metadata

emphasizes the importance of relationships between resources


FRBR’s benefits generated a re-examination of practices

and rules presents a conceptual framework for this

revision work which should increase clarity for users and maintain coherence and consistency in cataloguing rules

a model to be maintained, expanded


Continuing work & discussion

further work on the model precision of boundaries between group 1

entities e.g. what constitutes a new expression?

how to implement a FRBR-ized OPAC display

structure of records in a FRBR database


Continuing work & discussion

validity of the concept of the super work entity/relationship model versus object

oriented model usefulness of FRBR for other cultural

heritage information, e.g. museum objects


More Information

FRBR Working Group:http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/wgfrbr.htm

Bibliography at FRBR WG site:http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/bibliography.rtf

Library of Congress display tool http://www.loc.gov/marc/marc-functional-analysis/

tool.html

International Cataloguing Principles (draft)http://www.ddb.de/news/pdf/statement_draft.pdf


AACR3 (based on JSC documents)

Joint Steering Committee develops Strategic Plan for AACR (2002-2004)

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/stratplan.html

purpose of AACR affirm the strengths of AACR goals for the next 5 years targets for achieving the goals


Purpose of AACR multinational content standard providing

bibliographic description and access for all media (aim to accommodate newly emerging types)

independent of communication format

developed for use in English language communities but can be used in other language communities

enables users of library catalogues to find resources appropriate to their information needs


Strengths of AACR based on firm principles used with all types of media flexible and allow for different levels of

description enable consistency in practice and sharing of

catalogue records continuity and also constantly evolving enable precision in searching independent of the format applicable in a range of systems


Goals of AACR rules based on principles worldwide use but derived from English language

conventions and customs easy to use and interpret applicable to/operate in Web-based environment effective bibliographic control of all media compatible with other standards for resource

description and retrieval can be used beyond library community


Targets target 1 = new edition in 2007

target 2 = outreach and alignment with other resource description standards

target 3 = web-based version of rules


AACR Areas of change incorporate FRBR concepts and

terminology into AACR rewrite introduction to include a

statement of the principles of AACR, a description of the functions of the catalogue, and conceptual information to assist cataloguers in understanding the methods of procedure

reduce redundancy and revise for consistency across all types of content in Part I, where possible


AACR Areas of change incorporate concept of authority control incorporate expression-level collocation resolve problems associated with class

of materials concept (content versus carrier issues, GMDs)

introduce rules for multipart items changing over time

address issue of authorship and restrictions imposed by the rule of 3


AACR3: Resource Description and Access

Introduction - General principles Part I - Description Part II - Choice of access points Part III – Form of access points

(this slide & following ones based on information from Barbara Tillett’s document: AACR3: Resource Description and Access, 2004)


AACR3 – Part I (Proposal) Introduction General rules

by ISBD area with references forward to supplemental rules for specific content types

Chapters for content only supplemental rules, no references back

to General chapter Chapters for medium/technical description

primarily area 5 with relevant physical description notes from area 7

Chapter(s) on mode of issuance successively issued over time


AACR3 – Part I (Proposal)Introduction Introduction to Part I

scope structure of the description organization of the rules focus for description application of general and supplementary

rules resources in an unpublished form resources released successively or updated

periodically options and omissions


AACR3 – Part I (Proposal)General rules General rules for description

Preliminary rules Rules for each of the 8 ISBD areas:

• Title and statement of responsibility• Edition• Material specific details• Publication, distribution, etc.• Technical description• Series• Notes• Standard numbers

Supplementary resources Reproductions Analytics and multilevel descriptions


AACR3 - Part I (Proposal) Content Chapters

Text Music Cartographic content Graphic content Three-dimensional content Recorded sound Moving image content Data, software, & interactive content


AACR3 - Part I (Proposal)Medium/Technical Description

Print media Micrographic media Graphic media Tactile media Three-dimensional media Recorded sound media Moving image media Digital media


AACR3 - Part I (Proposal)Modes of Issuance

Successively issued or updated periodically Build on information in Introduction Base on “symptoms” More discussions with the Editor


AACR3–Part II (Proposal) Choice of primary and secondary

access points Choosing headings for the description “Rule of 3”

Editorial tasks Reworked chapter 21 (choice of entry) Update terminology Review concept of “collection”


AACR3–Part III (Proposal) Form of access points

Current chapters 22-25 to incorporate authority control principles and rules on related references

• remove chapter 26 on references Chapter 25 (Uniform titles) headings for

works and expressions• Functions of work/expression citations, i.e., for

identification, collocation, differentiation


AACR3

logical and theoretical aligned with international standards

with FRBR concepts and terms

better for usersbetter for cataloguers

Documents

FRBR Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records