ISBD as Bibliographic Content Standard: Interweaving Threads, Contemplating a Future

Abstract

This summary considers the final articles selected for the special issue, interweaving some common threads that bind them together in their consideration of the International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD), consolidated edition, 2011, as a bibliographic content standard. With discussions of (1) the historical and current evolution of the ISBD, (2) the concept of Universal Bibliographic Control relative to an emerging Semantic Web environment, (3) ISBD and national cataloging codes, and (4) the continuing challenges of “non-book” resources, as context, the article concludes by exploring the question, “Is there a future for the ISBD?”