Functional Requirements For Bibliographic Records Model Research Articles

FRBR: Application of the Model to Textual Documents

The FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) model was a revolutionary development that presented a new view of the bibliographic universe. Although FRBR has been widely accepted and extensively studied, actual implementations have been limited. This can be partly attributed to: (1) the vague and controversial definitions of the group 1 entities—work, expression, manifestation, and item, (2) that various types of information resources pose different issues, and (3) the rapid digitization of information. The various definitions of information resources are identified and reviewed here. To simplify the modeling, this study is limited to a single type of information resource: textual documents consisting of a sequence of words that may include non-textual material in the form of tables, symbols, equations, and/or illustrations. The FRBR model is analyzed in the context of textual documents with particular emphasis on digital documents to better understand the group 1 entities. An overview of the problematic aspects of the FRBR model is discussed and possible solutions are proposed.

Comparison of Persian bibliographic records with FRBR

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is Identifying the degree of compatibility of the current situation of the Persian bibliographic records (PBRs) with FRBR, as well as identifying the possible approaches and strategies for appropriate application of the model to Persian. The required data were gathered via two checklists were devised for the purpose of this research and each of which was dedicated to “Shahname” and “Nahjolbalaghe”. Also, to determine the characteristics of a suitable functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR) model for Iran, 18 implementation projects round the world were surveyed and analysed. Results of the study show that some FRBR requirements were readily available in Persian bibliographic records (PBRs), but in some cases, there are some deficiencies due to some likely reasons, such as lack of commitment to the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules 2, specifications of the library software structure and neglecting bibliographic and family relations in catalogues.Design/methodology/approachThe main goal of this research was to identify the degree of compatibility of the current situation of the PBRs with FRBR, as well as identifying the possible approaches and strategies for appropriate application of the model to Persian records. Research publication was 3,502 records in the National Bibliography of Iran for “Shahname” and “Nahjolbalaghe” of which 365 records were selected using systematic sampling method. Resources types included in the study were books, audio-visual resources, geographical resources, theses, lithographic books, manuscripts and journals.FindingsResults of the study also showed that the appropriate method for implementing FRBR in Iran is the comparative model. According to this model, the current records are saved while they are compared to FRBR model, as a result of which, anomalies are identified and resolved. In another part of this research, 16 important challenges that could exist in implementing the model in Iran were identified and introduced. Also, eight characteristics of a suitable implementation model in Iran are introduced.Originality/valueFRBR, is a conceptual entity-relationship model, released by IFLA and aimed to determine a minimum level of catalogue functions based on user’s needs. This model consists of four main parts: entities, attributes, relations and user tasks. This research has studied the feasibility of implementing application of the model to Iranian library records. Any research before the present paper (based on PhD thesis) has not been conducted yet in Iran.

Origem do modelo FRBR

Objetivo.O artigo identifica a gênese dos estudos do modelo conceitual Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), publicado em 1998, pela International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), com a proposta de desenvolver nova abordagem para o registro bibliográfico. Método. Recorreu-se à pesquisa bibliográfica para identificar publicações científicas sobre o conceito de modelo e de modelo conceitual para então, a partir de fontes de informação oficiais da IFLA, tratar da gênese do modelo conceitual FRBR, a fim de investigar a trajetória que antecede a publicação do modelo e identificar o debate intelectual em torno de sua elaboração. Resultado. Constatou-se que o modelo FRBR nasceu com fins eminentemente práticos, pois engendra um conjunto de expectativas em torno da redução de custos da catalogação, indicando um nível mínimo de elementos nos registros bibliográficos que atendam às necessidades dos usuários associadas com os vários tipos de materiais e contextos de uso. Conclusão. O acúmulo do conhecimento científico, somado à dimensão experiencial trazida e sustentada no modelo, altera os paradigmas da catalogação tradicional, embora o relatório final do modelo não apresente os fundamentos que o sustentam.

Book Review: The RDA Workbook: Learning the Basics of Resource Description and Access

The RDA Workbook: Learning Basics of Resource Description and Access. Edited by Margaret Mering. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2014. 190 p. $55 paperback (ISBN 978-1-61069-489-6) With implementation of RDA: Resource Description and Access in 2013, catalogers have been faced with task of learning a new set of rules and guidelines that is complex and unfinished. (1) To aid in this effort, several experts have written books dedicated to explaining RDA, clarifying rules, and interpreting them effectively. However, there have been very few works that both make a concerted effort to guide catalogers to a clear understanding of rules and underlying theory, and that offer practical steps in creating RDA records. With The RDA Workbook, Mering and her colleagues have taken first steps toward rectifying this deficiency, albeit in a very general way. The book begins as any work on RDA should, with an explanation of Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR). This explanation, written by Melissa Moll, takes wise step of first explaining Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP) and how FRBR, and its implementation in RDA, conforms to these principles. (2) By doing this, Moll removes FRBR from vacuum in which it sometimes seems to exist and makes it more concrete. Where many explanations of FRBR simply describe varying entities in Groups 1, 2, and 3, Moll orients her description of these entities around a single work, in this case the bibliographic universe surrounding The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (4). By focusing on a particular work, reader gets a clear picture of entities and attributes associated with work and how they correspond to FRBR model. The key to this chapters success is wealth of diagrams explaining how FRBR maps to real works. Rather than simply offering explanations, chapter is peppered with small exercises related to material at hand. It ends with three larger exercises that both solidify FRBR model and help reader navigate RDA Toolkit, which derives its organization from FRBR. The chapter concludes with diagrams that guide readers through RDA based on whether they are identifying an attribute or a relationship. Once theory is explained, actual application of RDA is addressed in context of bibliographic and authority records. Rather than immediately describing how to create records, a list of key differences between RDA and Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, second edition (AACR2) is provided, such as concept of core and core-if, lack of abbreviations, and elimination of rule of three. (3) The reader is then guided through process of creating an original cataloging record for a book using RDA with citations of applicable rules and associated Library of Congress Program for Cooperative Cataloging Policy Statements (LC-PCCs). Following this is a very helpful table that maps MARC fields to RDA elements and instruction numbers. This table reinforces structure of RDA Toolkit and further solidifies readers knowledge of how to find rules and guidelines. The chapter concludes with tables giving various RDA elements and their core status, of what they are attributes, where they are found in RDA, and how they are recorded in MARC. …

Experimenting with implementing FRBR in a Chinese Koha system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide broad overviews of functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR) in the context of Chinese machine-readable cataloguing (CMARC). It examines areas of the FRBR model, FRBR system development, FRBR applications and FRBR research. Design/methodology/approach – A Chinese Koha_LibFRBR testbed was set up to develop three activities: building a FRBR application function library called LibFRBR to maintain FRBRized bibliographic records, implementing a mapping algorithm between CMARC/MARC 21 and FRBR, and designing a new generation Chinese FRBR Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) user interface. Findings – The pilot system implementation demonstrates a workable process with useful output using both automated means (through a Perl module) and manual means (through a cataloguing interface (CI)). The study shows that existing poor Relator Code system and the maintenance of very little authority data in libraries in Taiwan are disadvantages in utilizing th...

Functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR): an analysis of usability of control model of the bibliographic universe

ABSTRACTTwo studies in connection with the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual model are presented. While the model is based on experiences of experts, it is yet to have been tested in practice. The first study is an expert evaluation of two FRBR-based prototypes, FictionFinder and LibraryLabs, that took place in January 2007. It found that FRBR facilitates better catalogue displays, however there are still problems with identification of FRBR entities. The second study is a study of mental models of the bibliographic universe, which is the first published study of its kind. It consisted of three tasks: cards sorting, concept mapping and comparison task. It was conducted on 30 participants from the Ljubljana area in the period between July 2007 and February 2008. Results show that there is not a single mental model of the bibliographic universe. Different individuals generally have different mental models and these generally differ from the FRBR model. Also, individuals’ mental models changed with the task. The more participants interacted with the bibliographic universe, the more FRBR-like their models became. Hovever, on average mental models were found to be FRBR-like.

FRBR and Ranganathan’s Colon Book Numbers: Exploring a Symbiotic Relationship

Library catalogues are significant surrogates of the documents in the library collection. This paper sfirst describes the conceptual model of FRBR. Then it shifts its focus and goes on to describe the Colon Book Numbers of S.R. Ranganathan. Subsequently, it explores a symbiotic relationship between Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Colon Book Numbers. The study reveals that many of the features of FRBR are already present in Colon Book Numbers. The paper concludes that catalogues adopting FRBR model can go for a full-fledged book numbering system like Colon Book Numbers, so that, a simple call number search can also bring together all the entity relationships in the retrievals. http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/djlit.33.5006

Comparación de campos de LILACS Descripción Bibliográfica e Indización (LILDBI) con entidades y atributos de los Requerimientos Funcionales para Registros Bibliográficos

This paper presents a brief characterization of the LILACS Methodology and Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR). It compares some of the fields most used by librarians of LILDBI (LILACS Bibliographic Description and Indexing), a component of the LILACS Methodology, with the entities and attributes of the FRBR model. It also outlines the potential benefits that the integration of the FRBR model into the LILACS database could provide to end users: an improved visualization and understanding of bibliographic search/retrieval interfaces.

Event‐aware FRBR and FRAD models: are they useful?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present functional requirements for bibliographic records (FRBR)‐based model and functional requirements for authority data (FRAD)‐based model; both of which incorporate an event concept that transforms FRBR and FRAD with minimal modification.Design/methodology/approachRelationships between the entities defined in FRBR/FRAD are transformed into event entities and relationships with other kinds of entities. The cardinality of those relationships is also examined. In addition, a comparison of the proposed FRBR‐based model with the object‐oriented FRBR (FRBROO) is conducted.FindingsIn the proposed event‐aware FRBR model, an event and its output resource are dependent on each other and necessary information about an event can be expressed with information about its output resource, and vice versa. Therefore, the usefulness and expressiveness of the proposed model is limited. In the FRBROO model, dependency between an event and its output resource is not observed, except in a few cases, since a different resource and event modeling was adopted there. The event‐aware FRAD model proposed is useful – but also the scope of its usefulness limited since dependency between an event and its input/output resource is not observed on some event entities.Originality/valueThe proposed models are meaningful in terms of understanding the basic structure and features of a model that incorporates an event concept. The usefulness and limitation of event modeling have been clarified through such model building. The proposed models provide a stable basis for examining FRBR/FRAD further.

User verification of the FRBR conceptual model

PurposeThis paper aims to build on of a previous study of mental models of the bibliographic universe, which found that the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual model is intuitive.Design/methodology/approachA total of 120 participants were presented with a list of bibliographic entities and six graphs each. They were asked to choose the graph they thought best represented the relationships between entities described.FindingsThe graph based on the FRBR model was chosen by more than half of the participants and none of the alternatives stood out. This gives further indication that FRBR is an appropriate model of the bibliographic universe from users' standpoint.Research limitations/implicationsThe study only looked at the textual part of the bibliographic universe. Further research is needed for other types of materials.Practical implicationsThis research suggests that there should be a more positive attitude towards implementation of FRBR‐based catalogues.Originality/valueThis is one of only a handful of user studies relating to FRBR, which looks to be the backbone of catalogues for years to come. As such, the results should be of interest to everybody involved with catalogues, from cataloguers to the end‐users.

Composing in Real Time: Jazz Performances as “Works” in the FRBR Model

In Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD), realization of a musical work through performance is unambiguously included as a type of expression when it involves music in the Western canon. There is room for interpretation, however, as to whether an improvisation in jazz or rock constitutes an expression, or a new work with each performance. Multiple expressions, particularly transcriptions, and related works suggest the potential usefulness of treating a jazz performance as a work. This article examines the question of boundaries between one work and another, and illustrates ways that the FRBR model might be applied to cataloging improvisations.

Arrangement of FRBR Entities in Colon Classification Call Numbers

This article analyzes similarities and differences between Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) entities and their representation in the Colon Classification call numbers. Dealing with lack of organization in library shelves and in the lists of bibliographic records resulting from users’ searches in our present online catalogs, the article discusses the chance to organize bibliographic resources by FRBR entities using the model of the facet formula provided for call numbers in Colon Classification and by means of relevant, ready, and useable extant data. Main results of this analysis are: correspondences between FRBR entities and categories expressed in Ranganathan's bibliographic system can be found; a sound but not completely FRBRized bibliographic arrangement can be reached by call numbers also in catalogs not structurally capable to satisfy the FRBR model; in Ranganathan's classified catalog1 semantic and semiotic cataloging are perfectly integrated, giving access to the bibliographic universe as a whole; facet formula for call numbers could be used as an identifying device.

From the FRBR Model to the Italian Cataloging Code (and Vice Versa?)

The Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) model has been the main framework of reference for the new Italian cataloging rules. The code puts the work at the center of the catalog and of the rules because users are mostly interested in works and the most wanted works are increasingly available in multiple manifestations. Every work should be identified in the catalog and responsibility relations should be recorded at the proper level. The code is tailored to the specific needs of library cataloging and based on a new thorough analysis of the phenomena to be reflected, organized, and made accessible via the catalog.

Supporting multilingual bibliographic resource discovery with Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

This paper describes an experiment exploring the hypothesis that innovative application of the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) principles can complement traditional bibliographic resource discovery systems inorder to improve the user experience. A specialized service was implemented that, when given a plain list of results from a regular online catalogue, was able to process, enrich and present that list in a more relevant way for the user. This service preprocesses the records of a traditional online catalogue in order to build a semantic structure following the FRBR model. The service also explores web search features that have been revolutionizing the way users conceptualize resource discovery, such as relevance ranking and metasearching. This work was developed in the context of the TELPlus project. We processed nearly one hundred thousand bibliographic and authority records, in multiple languages, and originating from twelve European national libraries. This paper describes the architecture of the service and the main challenges faced, especially concerning the extraction and linking of the relevant FRBR entities from the bibliographic metadata produced by the libraries. The service was evaluated by end users, who filled out a questionnaire after using a traditional online catalogue and the new service, both with the same bibliographic collection. The analysis of the results supports the hypothesis that FRBR can be implemented for resource discovery in a non-intrusive way, reusing the data of any existing traditional bibliographic system.

Leveraging the FRBR model for music discovery and data sharing

PurposeIn 2008, Indiana University received a National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for a project entitled “Variations/FRBR: variations as a testbed for the FRBR conceptual model”. The V/FRBR initiative aims to provide a real world, production implementation in a music digital library system of the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) suite of reports from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) that are being presented as revolutionizing library discovery systems. This paper seeks to examine this issue.Design/methodology/approachThis paper discusses the issues encountered in creating an interoperable data model that implements FRBR concepts. It uses the work of the V/FRBR initiative to describe how FRBR can be used in both a generic and a music‐specific environment.FindingsAn abstract data model representing FRBR at three levels of specificity (two generic and one music‐specific) is defined, along with its binding in XML and plans for expanding into an RDF representation into the future.Practical implicationsThe data model and its XML representation created by the V/FRBR project have the potential to be re‐used by other FRBR‐based cataloging and discovery systems in the future.Originality/valueWhile much discussion of FRBR has taken place in the library community, relatively little formal testing of FRBR‐ized data has been done, with even less widespread reporting of lessons learned. The V/FRBR project is among the first to share detailed information about the practical issues faced when implementing the FRBR models.

Developing FRBR-based library catalogs for users (sponsored by SIG/CR)

Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) has a direct impact on the library and information science community in the areas of information organization, information representation, and system design. Although FRBR offers great potential for libraries to develop catalogs that function more effectively to help users access bibliographic data, there has been a lack of both guidance in FRBR implementation and FRBR user research in related development. In this session, panelists presenting three different projects will discuss how they implemented FRBR in library catalogs and what user research they have done to inform system design and to evaluate the effectiveness of the FRBR systems. This panel will help address some key questions about FRBR research and development: (1) To what extent does the FRBR model represent how users perceive bibliographic data? (2) How can FRBR be implemented in library catalogs? (3) How are FRBR-based systems helpful to users?

FRBR implementation and user research

The IFLA Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual model, published in 1998, focuses on the representation of the bibliographic universe, using an entity-relationship model [1]. It has direct and great impact to the whole area of knowledge organization, especially the description, access, and sharing of bibliographic resources. As a conceptual model, FRBR is subject to various interpretations and implementations. This panel will focus on practical aspects of FRBR and related user studies: FRBR model validation, FRBR user research, FRBR/FAO model implementation and benefits, and RDA vocabulary developments based on FRBR.

What Is Next for Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records? A Delphi Study

This article reports on a Delphi study conducted to determine key issues and challenges facing Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) research and practice. The Delphi panel consisted of thirty‐three experts in the field who participated in a three‐round issue‐raising and consensus‐building process via a Web‐based survey instrument designed for this study. The panel members were asked to raise critical issues in each of five major areas based on themes in existing literature: (1) the FRBR model, (2) FRBR and related standards, (3) FRBR application, (4) FRBR system development, and (5) FRBR research. These issues were categorized and then rated for importance in the follow‐up rounds. The results of this study provide a list of the most critical issues, based on importance ratings and group consensus, for future FRBR research and practice in each FRBR area.

Conference Report

ABSTRACT The possible applicability of the FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) model to serial works was discussed by Kristin Antelman from North Carolina State University. She provided an overview of the FRBR model, pointing out that, while there are currently few details on how it would relate to serials, it does have applicability to serial works. The concept of a super-record was discussed as a way to incorporate FRBR concepts into one bibliographic record that could represent an overview of a serial work with all of its title changes, different formats, and holdings information. Antelman used a variety of screen shot examples to show how current views of a serial in an OPAC can be confusing and frustrating for library users and how a super-record approach drawing on FRBR concepts could present information in a much more concise, easy-to-read format. While a formal model to apply FRBR to serial works has not yet been developed, Antelman demonstrated that such a model could be beneficial to library and information science professionals as well as library users.

ASIS&T 2008 annual meeting poster FRBR and the 'known‐item' search

AbstractThe purpose of this research is to study the phenomenon of the “known‐item search,” to investigate and map out its parameters. The research reported on here is the result of pretesting a survey that will be administered to public and academic library users looking for a particular book, asking them about the extent to which they would accept the substitute of a related item for the one they are looking for. The research is being framed in terms of the 1998 document model, Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR), in which different levels, or aspects, of content have been identified. FRBR is being incorporated into international library cataloging standards, however, research is only now beginning to be conducted to test the applicability of the model to people who are actually searching for documents. The study has two purposes: first, to improve information systems, particularly online catalogs, using specific knowledge of the range of acceptable items that may be the object of a search, and second, to determine the extent to which the FRBR model is useful in describing entities of interest to library users.