Implementing FRBR in Libraries: Key Issues and Future Directions

Abstract

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) published their groundbreaking report on Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) in 1998. In the years since, how has the library community adopted FRBR and what can librarians and users expect in the future? Zhang and Salaba explore the benefits of FRBR implementation, describing how it helps develop better systems for users, improve cataloging efforts, and better manage resources in a digital environment. Readers new to the FRBR concept will soon catch up with a thorough description of the entity-relationship conceptual model. The use of graphics to illustrate the relationships between and among the three entity groups (intellectual or artistic endeavors; authors, artists, or agents responsible for creation of content; and subjects of works) helps to clarify the model. FRBR, and its role in current cataloging practice, is also outlined in relation to International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD), Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC), Resource Description and Access (RDA), Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI), and emerging standards for the semantic web. Should the reader feel lost in this library alphabet soup, a handy list of acronyms is provided in the back of the book. The second half of the book looks at applications of FRBR in real-world settings. Art objects, classic texts, and works of fiction are a few examples of the types of materials that could be affected by FRBR. These special genres or formats are discussed individually with descriptions of how they may be affected by FRBR-related changes. In addition, many examples of existing FRBR implementation projects are highlighted, some in traditional library settings and some in specialized locales such as consortia, digital libraries, and institutional repositories. Screenshots are helpful in showing the differences in these FRBR-ized catalogs. A lengthy list of FRBR implementations is provided in the text, as well as in the appendix, for further research. However, these projects have not been implemented without difficulty, and the authors describe some of the challenges an institution faces when trying to FRBR-ize legacy data or normalize records from one system to another. So when will FRBR be implemented on a larger scale? There is no clear answer to this question as it clearly depends on cataloging standards. There is still plenty of room for additional research (particularly usability research). However, the many implementation examples cited by the authors show that FRBR has come a long way in the last decade and likely has a long future ahead. This book is certainly a must-read for catalogers and metadata specialists, and should be useful for any librarian interested in system design, usability studies, and the future of librarianship.