Future of the GMD

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Future of the GMD

Can it be improved?Are there other ways to fulfill its

function?


Workshop Plan background what is causing a re-evaluation of the GMD?

Logical structure of AACR new 0.24 FRBR

brief glance at proposed outline for AACR3 some ideas in the cataloguing community ideas from you

discussion


GMD general material designation

term indicating broad class of material term first used in ISBDs in 1977 term adopted by AACR2

optional different practices within AACR

community


AACR1 designations in parenthesesChap. 12. Motion pictures and filmstrips

Shoe-shine (Motion picture)Lighthouses (Filmstrip)

transcription of title + designation this is not a “uniform

title” very limited use other non-book resources: no designations


AACR2 general material designations + specific material

designations

title proper + [GMD]

broad range of terms covering different contents and different carriers

optional


AACR2 Intent when developing list of GMDs:

“generic list of media designations that would minimize the disruption to library catalogues. This meant that the list of terms would be practical rather than theoretical or philosophical”

Jean Weihs, A somewhat personal history of nonbook cataloguing. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 31:3/4, 2001, p. 177.


Function of the GMD developed in the era of the card

catalogue:

informs the user about the type of material gives “early warning” because of its placement

in the title area not intended as a limit or as a search term uses controlled vocabulary: LIST 1 or LIST 2 differentiates between resources with identical

or similar titles


Use of GMDsIn the card catalogue: identification differentiation (to select, obtain appropriate resource)

OPAC identification differentiation (to select, obtain appropriate resource)

controlled vocabulary search term


Where are the problems? GMD evolved to answer a practical need

broadening of library resources to include non-book

dissatisfaction starts to appear as new media develop

new demands on cataloguing rules logical analysis + new theoretical frameworks

questions about GMDs


Winds of change re-examination of AACR

1997 International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR

development of analytical models Functional Requirements for Bibliographic

Records analyzes bibliographic records

Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules

analyzes the cataloguing rules that produce the description part of bibliographic records


1997 International Conference1997 International Conference on the Principles and

Future Development of AACR content vs carrier issue need to be able to describe new media as they

develop, deal with new forms of publishing, etc. impact of electronic resources

identify principles and structures underlying AACR

revise rule 0.24

(among many other outcomes)


Logical Structure of AACRTom Delsey’s logical analysis of AACR points

out inconsistencies, problem areas, obstacles.

“class of materials” ≠ physical carrier(perspective: structure of rules in Part 1 and how to deal

with new media, new forms of expression)

physical carrier only defines 5 of the classes of materials represented by chapters in Part 1

mixture of chapters in Part 1 for content, form of expression and physical carrier


Logical Structure of AACRClass of materials analyzed:

contentcartographic materialsgraphic materialsthree-dimensional artefacts and realia

form of expressionmusic

physical carriersound recordings motion

picturesvideorecordings microformscomputer files/electronic resources


Logical Structure of AACRGMDs inform user about the broad class of material

contentrealiacartographic material

form of expressionmusic (expressed in musical notation)

physical carrierfilmstrip

slidevideorecording


Logical Structure of AACR questions raised:

“if certain classes are defined on the basis of the form of the physical carrier and others are determined on the basis of the type of content or the intellectual form in which the content is expressed, how is a determination to be made as to which criterion takes precedence in classing new forms of material?”

boundaries between classes: are they precise enough, comprehensive enough?

if a resource belongs to more than one class?


Logical Structure of AACRConstituent entities or elements of the “document”

analyzed:

content intellectual or artistic substanceset as

infixion formatting of content

stored on physical carrier physical medium

housed in container physically separable housing

significance of both content and physical carrier information


New 0.24 change AACR rule 0.24

radical impact on organization of Part 1

FROM

primacy of the one class of material to which the resource belongs

starting point = physical form of the resource in hand

TO

bring out all aspects of the resource being described


Impact of new 0.24assumption in old 0.24

class/type of materials = physical form

with new 0.24: does the current structure of the rules in

Part 1 make any sense?

Part 1 of AACR2 = mixture of chapters for form of content, form of expression and physical carriers


Impact of new 0.24

3 form of content chapterscartographic materials

graphic materialsthree-dimensional artefacts and realia

1 form of expression chaptermusic

4 physical carrier chapterssound recordingsmotion pictures and videorecordingselectronic resourcesmicroforms


Impact of new 0.24 if all relevant aspects are to be described,

what does one do about the GMD?(ISBD community also studying)

some suggestions to combine GMDs: GMD (qualifier)

does this work with current lists of terms?does it only work if GMD = content/expression

and qualifier = carrier compound GMDs GMD 1 + GMD 2


FRBR: final report of IFLA Study Group

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


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 entitiesproducts of intellectual or artistic endeavour

• work • expression • manifestation • item


Group 1 entities:work

is realized through

expressionis embodied in

manifestationis exemplified by

FRBR 3.1.1 item


Examplew = 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


Attributes of Group 1 entities: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 …


Entities in Groups 2 and 3 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


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 same group (esp. between group 1 entities)

relationships between entities of the different groups


Example of a “family” or hierarchy of Group 1 entities:work expression manifestation 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 relationshipsShakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Hamlet.

subjectModern Hamlets & their soliloquies

Critical responses to Hamlet, 1600-1900 imitation

Hamlet travestietransformation 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


User-friendly OPAC displayti = 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

• cluster manifestations that are the same expression• sort by different physical carriers


Impact of FRBR improve navigation

focus on collocation reintroduce logical indexing vs. purely

mechanical filing

appropriate level of specificity needed by user: ability to stay at general level to complete user

tasks, or to bore down to specific expressions, manifestations, including down to the appropriate physical carrier


Impact of FRBR identification of group 1 entities and their

attributesexpression-level: form e.g. musical notation

photographic image

language

manifestation-level: form of carrier e.g. filmstrip

extent of carrier

model puts some longstanding problems in perspective

e.g. content vs. carrier (or format variation) different but how different : where is carrier in the hierarchy?


FRBR and Logical Structure:2 entity-relationship analytical models

bib record (FRBR)

work

expression

manifestation

item

document (Log.St.)

content

infixion

physical carriercontainer


Logical Structure vs FRBR Logical Structure: analysis of the rules that

produce the description part of the bibliographic record

FRBR: analysis of the whole bibliographic record in the context of the database

Both models: pull out constituent entities, examine what has been taken as unreflected assumptions


Logical Structure vs FRBR Logical Structure

identifies the problem

FRBR gives us the

tools to work on the problem

allows us to frame the question in a sound theoretical framework


Some sources of pressure on GMD

Logical Structure new 0.24 of AACR

GMD

FRBR


Post 1997 International Conference some of the key areas of work by JSC

basic principles content vs. carrier issue logical structure of AACR seriality internationalization incorporating FRBR terminology and concepts

JSC develops new strategic plan, which will culminate in AACR3 (2007)


Relevant areas of change in AACR3

reduce redundancy and revise for consistency across all chapters in Part I

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

incorporate FRBR concepts and terminology into AACR

incorporate concept of authority control


Relevant areas of change in AACR3

incorporate expression-level collocation resolve problems associated with class of

materials concept (content versus carrier issues, GMDs)

some revision tasks affect almost every chapter

e.g. incorporating FRBR terminology requires incorporating the concepts

changes throughout AACR


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 Resolve issues of authorship and problems with

the “Rule of 3”


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


Tentative,working proposal for Part 1 separation into content chapters and

medium/technical description chapters

application of knowledge derived from the 2 analytical models

building on this proposal, the Task Force on the Consistency of Part 1, working with Tom Delsey, has created a variant prototype while examining area 5 rules in AACR3


Task Force/Delsey prototypeSection A. General Rules for Description

Section B. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Content

Section C. Supplementary Rules for Specific Forms of Carrier

Section D. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Media

Section E. Supplementary Rules for Resources Released Successively or Updated Periodically


Section C. Supplementary Rules for Specific Forms of CarrierC1. Books, Atlases, Albums, etc.C2. Unbound Sheets, Broadsides, Posters, Wall Charts, etc.C3. Photoprints, Postcards, Flash Cards, etc.C4. Models, Globes, Sculptures, etc.C5. Slides, Transparencies, Fiches, etc.C6. Filmstrips, Filmslips, Roll Film, etc.C7. Discs/Disks, Cylinders, etc.C8. Reels, Cartridges, Cassettes, etc.C9. Computer Chips, Optical Cards, etc.C10. Remote Access Resources


Section D. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Media

D1. Print and Opaque Graphic MediaD2. Micrographic MediaD3. Tactile MediaD4. Three-dimensional MediaD5. Recorded Sound MediaD6. Projected Graphic and Cinemagraphic MediaD7. Digital Media


Summary of recent activity: new analytical models analysis of “document” into 4 constituent

parts: content / infixion / carrier / container

AACR’s class of materials = mixture of apples, oranges and bananas

new AACR2 rule 0.24 FRBR’s Group 1 entities (wemi) initiatives to reorganize Part 1 of AACR


Impetus to re-evaluate GMDs conceptual separation of content, media and

physical carriers in the rules description of all aspects of a bibliographic

resource work/expression/manifestation/item hierarchy

and the importance of conveying information about relationships between entities

improved collocation focus on user success rate with tasks: search,

identify, select, obtain GMD/SMD relationship


Use of GMDs (in OPACs) identification

“early warning” differentiation

to select, obtain appropriate resource controlled vocabulary search term

if indexed, can be used to refine search

functions of GMD are still relevant FRBR user tasks: search, identify

select, obtain


3 questions facing the AACR community:1) is there another way to communicate the

information to the user?

2) if one retains the GMD, could it be placed elsewhere?

3) can we improve the list of terms used as GMDs?


1) is there another way to communicate the information? term or device?

iconsee OCLC’s WorldCat

public display label or term

generated through a table from terms in the bibliographic record for content, expression and/or manifestation.


1) is there another way to communicate the information? icon or label generated from terms in record

2 lists of terms used in the record, one for mode of expression and one for form of content, or 3 lists with medium/carrier terms

a display term or icon showing to the user, generated from a table or matrix using terms from the lists

e.g. content: cartographic material

expression: still image digital map

carrier: digital media


2) if one retains the GMD, could it be placed elsewhere? current placement in the middle of the title and

statement of responsibility area

“intrudes into the middle of the transcription of the title and

statement of responsibility area” B. Tillett. 4JSC/Chair/73

Even more intrusive when language of the title differs from the language of the catalogue.

area 3 for all types of resources area 0, preceding the bibliographic description


3) can we improve the list of terms used as GMDs?

single terms same level of generality mutually exclusive

compound terms GMD (qualifier) compound term GMD1 + GMD2


Surveys about GMDsBefore the revision of 0.24 (2001 amendments):

Jean Weihs’ survey: General material designations in the twenty-first century (2000/01) GMD with qualifier: most favoured table of precedence for choice of GMD compound term some users wanted very specific GMDs

(actually wanted SMD-type terms in GMD position)


Surveys about GMDsPost revision of 0.24, FRBR:

Cataloguing Code Comparison for the IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code (July 2003). Surveyed use of GMDs and terms used (European)

if used, GMDs used for non-book some suggest using other areas (area 0 or 3) lists tend to be more similar to List 1 than 2 criticism of GMD terms that confuse content,

expression and physical manifestation


GMD = form of expressiongrowing momentum to align the list of

GMDs to terms for the form or mode of expression

IFLA 1st and 2nd Meetings of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code

GMD ● use at the expression level

● designations pertaining to the form or mode of expression


GMD/SMD GMDs should reflect: content

not carrier

physical medium and carrier information should shift to the SMDs and/or notes

clear delineation between GMDs and SMDs

reference to a theoretical framework if use FRBR entity “expression” to define scope of GMD, then

clear delineation should naturally follow


Summary of questions is the GMD the best way to communicate

information?

could the GMD or GMD-type information be placed elsewhere in the bib. record?

can we improve the list of terms?

in context of AACR goal: continuity + constantly evolving


References and LinksAACR3 : Resource Description and Accesshttp://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs/aacr3pptslides.pdf

FRBR:http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.htmhttp://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.pdf

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


References and LinksCataloguing Code Comparison for the IFLA Meeting of Experts

on an International Cataloguing Code, July 2003.http://www.ddb.de/news/pdf/code_comp_2003_europe_6_gmd.pdf

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

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

Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules:http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs.html#logical


References and LinksTillett, Barbara. General Material Designations : [discussion

paper for the Joint Steering Committee for the Revision of AACR]. 4JSC/Chair/73, May 8, 2001.

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs/gmd.pdf

Weihs, Jean. A somewhat personal history of nonbook cataloguing. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 31:3/4, 2001, p. 159-188.

Weihs, Jean. General Material Designations in the twenty-first century : results of a survey.

http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/cts/olac/capc/gmd.doc

Documents

Future of the GMD