What’s FRBR?

OCLC Online Computer Library Center

What’s FRBR?

Eric Childress

OCLC Research

COASIS&T Program

2005-07-21

OCLC


Outline

Overview & history

FRBR 101 – First lessons

FRBR 102 – More FRBR

Since the FRBR Study Group…

FRBR inspiration


Overview & history of FRBR


“The FRBR model is revolutionary. The (computer) catalogue is not seen as a sequence of bibliographic records and a replica of the traditional card catalogue, but rather as a network of connected data, enabling the user to perform seamlessly all the necessary functions.”

-Dr. Maja Žumer. National and University Library, Ljubljana, Slovenia


Quickly…

FRBR = Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

Developed by cataloging experts working under the auspices of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)

FRBR is from a document issued by IFLA:

Functional requirements for bibliographic records : final report (1998)

FRBR is a conceptual model (not a standard!)

FRBR systematically models the bibliographic universe


Impetus: a changing environment

Automated systems for creation & processing of bibliographic data

Growth of large-scale databases (national & international)

Shared cataloging programs

Economic pressure to reduce cataloging costs

Adapting practice to accommodate new formats & a networked environment

Changing user expectations and needs


On the shoulders of giants…

The heritage of cataloging theory and practice:

Sir Anthony Panizzi's Rules (1841)

Charles Ammi Cutter’s Principles (1874)

S.R. Ranganathan's Five Laws (1931)

The Paris Principles (1961)

Seymour Lubetzky’s Principles (1969)

The International Standard Bibliographic Descriptions (1969-)

Stockholm Seminar on Bibliographic Records (1990)

Issued a resolution calling for the commissioning of a study to define the functional requirements of bibliographic records


The FRBR Project

IFLA Study Group on the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

Study (1992-1995): Against the changing environment within which cataloging

principles & standards operate…

Conceptualize a cataloging code- and implementation-agnostic, generalized view of the bibliographic universe

Deliver (1996-1998): A reference (i.e. conceptual) model

A report: Functional requirements for bibliographic records : final report Münich : K.G. Saur, 1998. [viii, 136 pages. ISBN 3-598-11382-X]

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/finalreport.htm


Value of FRBR

FRBR study process and report:

Fresh look at what functions bibliographic records perform

FRBR systematically models the bibliographic universe

Helps us answer important questions:

What information is of the most value to users of the catalog?

How can that most valuable information be used more effectively?

Promises to inspire next generation catalogs, etc.

Illuminates user tasks

Clarifies how catalogs should function


FRBR 101 – First lessons


About the FRBR study…

Primary objectives of the FRBR study:

Provide a clearly defined, structured framework for relating bibliographic data to user needs

Recommend a basic level of functionality for records created by national bibliographic agencies

Modeling the bibliographic universe:

Utilizes an entity-relationship framework: Entities (a class of things)

Relationships (associations among entities)

Attributes (characteristics of the entities)


What FRBR says catalog users do:

Four User Tasks:

Find entities that match the search criteria

Identify entities (confirm that the user has found what they were looking for)

Select an entity that matches the user’s criteria

Obtain access to the entity through purchase, loan, or through electronic remote access

And, maybe a fifth:And, maybe a fifth:

Navigate


FRBR defines 3 groups of entities

Group 1: products of intellectual or artistic endeavor that are named of described in bibliographic records

work, expression, manifestation, item

Group 2: entities responsible for the intellectual or artistic content, the physical production and dissemination, or the custodianship of such products

person, corporate body

Group 3: entities that serve as the subjects of intellectual or artistic endeavor

concept, object, event, place


Group 1 - Bibliographic Entities

Work

A distinct intellectual or artistic creation

Expression

The intellectual or artistic realization of a work

Manifestation

The physical embodiment of an expression of a work

Item

A single example of a manifestation


is realized through

is embodied in

is exemplified by

Work

Expression

Manifestation

Item

recursive

one

many

Physical

Intellectual/Artistic

Group 1


FRBR Entity LevelsFRBR Entity Levels

Work:

Expression:

Manifestation:

The Novel

Orig.Text

Transl. CriticalEdition

Paper PDF HTML

The Movie

Orig.Version

From: Tillett, Barbara "AACR2's Strategic Plan and IFLA Work towards an International Cataloguing Code“ (2002)

Group 1

http://www.iccu.sbn.it/Tillett.ppt

Group 1


FRBR Entity Levels revisitedFRBR Entity Levels

Work:

Expression:

Manifestation:

The Novel

Orig.Text

Transl. CriticalEdition

The Movie

Orig.Version

Paper PDF HTML

Item: Copy 1Autographed

Copy 2

Family of works

Group 1

From: Tillett, Barbara "AACR2's Strategic Plan and IFLA Work towards an International Cataloguing Code“ (2002)


Edna Ferber's Show B oat

Statek kom edjantowW arsaw, 1929

Polish Translationby T. Jakubow icz

Show Boat(the novel)

1926

Show Boat(the m otion picture directed

by Jam es W hale)1936

Show Boat(the m otion picture directed

by George S idney)1951

Santa M onica,1970

Vocal Selections(score)

Colum bia1941?

Selections(recording)

Columbia Masterw orks1948

Original Cast Recording1946 Revival

Show Boat(the m usical by

Kern and Ham merstein)1927

Group 1


Attributes

A set of characteristics that serve as the basis for formulating queries and interpreting responses

Can be either inherent or externally applied

E.g., inherent: the physical medium and dimension of an object

E.g., externally sourced: assigned identifiers (e. g., thematic catalog numbers for musical compositions)


Attributes of Group 1 Entities

Work

Work title, form or genre, date, performance medium, intended audience

Expression

Expression title, form of the expression, language of the expression, type of score, scale of a map

Manifestation

Manifestation title, publisher, date of publication, form of carrier, dimensions, manifestation identifier (e.g. ISBN), terms of availability

Item

Location or call number, barcode, provenance, condition, access restrictions on an item


FRBR 102 – More FRBR


Group 2 – Responsible Entities

Entities responsible for the intellectual or artistic content, the physical production and dissemination, or the custodianship of such products

Group 2 entities:

Person

Corporate Body

And perhaps a third …

Family



Attributes of Group 2 entities:

Person

Names, dates, titles or other designations

Corporate body

Name, number, place, date, other designation


Group 3 - Subject Entities

Entities that serve as the subjects of intellectual or artistic endeavor

Group 3 entities:

Concept: topical subject heading

Object: name for an object

Event: name for an event

Place: name for a place

Plus the Group 1 and 2 Entities:

Works about Works/Expressions/Manifestations/Items

Works about Persons and/or Corporate Entities



Attributes of Group 3 entities:

Concept

term

Object

term

Event

term

Place

term


Relationships

Link entities to one another

Entities of different groups (person and work)

Entities of the same group (work and expression)

Collocation and navigation


Relationships (between different FRBR groups)

Work Person

Expression Person

Manifestation Corporate body

Item Corporate body

Concept Work

Created by

Translated by

Produced by

Owned by

Is subject of


Relationships (within a group)

Work to work

Successor

Supplement

Complement

Summarization

Adaptation

Transformation

Imitation

Work to work

Whole/part


Making Relationships

Uniform titles

In cataloging, historically:

Not consistently applied over time

Not consistently applied to all materials

Role and function identifiers

In cataloging, historically:

Not consistently applied

Buried in “natural language”


Authority

Bibliographic

Holding Item

Work/Expression

UniformTitle

Concept

Manifestation

PersonSeries

(work/expression)Uniform

Title

Scenario A (Now)


Scenario B (Future)

Work/ExpressionUniform

Title

Manifestation

Authority

Bibliographic

Holding

Concept

Item

Person

Series (work/expression)

UniformTitle


Since the FRBR Study Group…


Paris Principles reborn

Statement of International Cataloguing Principles Approved by the IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguging Code (Frankfurt, 2003)

Adapts and expands the Paris Principles (1961)

Expands scope from:

Textual works to all types of materials

Choice and form of entry to all aspects of bibliographic & authority records

First principle remains: Serve the convenience of the users of the catalogue


Working the FRBR/FRANAR framework…

All work now under the FRBR Review Group:

Group 1 entities [bibliographic]:

The IFLA Study Group on the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, 1992-1998

Various follow-on work underway (Clarifying “expression” ; Clarifying FRBR for continuing resources, more…)

Group 2 entities [authorities]:

Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records (FRANAR) Working Group

Group 3 entities [subject access]:

Working Group on Subject Relationships


FRBR inspiration


Applying FRBR in services

Incorporating the concepts of the FRBR model in systems:

Superior presentation of search results

Esp. in large files – more intuitive clustering

May help streamline library cataloging

Reduces repeated keying of work-related info

Bibliographic & management intelligence

New insights into works (e.g., OCLC’s 1000 list)

Libraries can operate at workset level (e.g., ILL)


Show & tell

OCLC Research:

Top 1000 titles http://www.oclc.org/research/top1000

xISBN http://www.oclc.org/research/researchworks/xisbn/

Fiction Finder http://fictionfinder.oclc.org/

Curiouser http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/curiouser

OCLC production services

Open WorldCat http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/open

FRBR-inspired FirstSearch WorldCat (coming soon)


Note cards from FRBR-land…


IFLA-related resources

IFLA FRBR Review Group

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/wgfrbr.htm

Functional requirements for bibliographic records : final report / IFLA Study Group on the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records ; Approved by the Standing Committee of the IFLA Section on Cataloguing. Münich : K.G. Saur, 1998.

viii, 136 pages. ISBN 3-598-11382-X

also online: http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.htm

• FRBR Bibliography: http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/bibliography.htm

• FRBR in 21st century catalogues (Workshop held at OCLC)

http://www.oclc.org/research/events/frbr-workshop

• Statement of International Cataloguing Principles

http://www.ddb.de/news/pdf/statement_draft.pdf


Selected additional resources Boston, Tony, Bemal Rajapatirana and Roxanne

Missingham “Libraries Australia: Simplifying the Search Experience” (2005)

http://www.nla.gov.au/nla/staffpaper/2005/boston1.html

Denton, William. “FRBR and Fundamental Cataloguing Rules.” (2003)

http://www.miskatonic.org/library/frbr.html

Tillett, Barbara, What is FRBR?: A Conceptual Model for the Bibliographic Universe (2004)

http://www.loc.gov/cds/FRBR.html

OCLC FRBR Projects page http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/frbr


Selected tools, projects, services, blogs

FRBR Blog http://www.frbr.org/

LC FRBR Display Tool

http://www.loc.gov/marc/marc-functional-analysis/tool.html

OCLC Research:

Top 1000 titles http://www.oclc.org/research/top1000

xISBN http://www.oclc.org/research/researchworks/xisbn/

Fiction Finder http://fictionfinder.oclc.org/

Curiouser http://www.oclc.org/research/projects/curiouser

VisualCat (Denmark)

http://www.portia.dk/pubs/VisualCat/Present/VisualCatOverview20050607.pdf

VTLS

http://www.vtls.com/Corporate/FRBR.shtml


Questions?

Documents

What’s FRBR?