Putting RDA: Resource Description and

Access into context

1. FRBR: Functional requirements for bibliographic

records

Alan Danskin

Data Quality & Authority Control Manager

CA&D
Terminology

IME – ICC International Meeting of Experts on an International

Cataloguing Code
 Reviewing and updating the Paris Principles

FRBR – Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

 IFLA working group recommended conceptual model
(1997)
FRAD - Functional Requirements for Authority Data
 IFLA working group report to be published 2008

FRSAR
 Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Records (in
progress)

2
Introduction

 RDA will replace AACR2 from 2009

 RDA is based on the FRBR and FRAD Models

 A model is a way of looking at problems in the real world and

 Identifying and defining the things that are important (entities)
 Identifying and defining the significant relationships between these
entities
 Identifying and defining the attributes that characterise the entities

 A conceptual model helps to develop understanding of the real world

 A model can be implemented in different ways.

 Consistency with a model facilitates interoperability between

implementations

3
“The highest principle for the construction of cataloguing
codes should be the convenience of the users of the
catalogue.”
Guiding principle for the International Cataloguing Code
being developed by IFLA

4
Resource Discovery Technology

5
Guard books

6
Card Catalogue

7
Proliferation of carriers

TI F F
.w M
av PE
G

M L
X
8
Limitations of the OPAC

“Flat” data structure

Restrictive

Inflexible display

Metadata underexploited

Changing user perspectives

9
 Well, for goodness sake…!

The UKMARC Manual: Reference From a

Personal Name
... Tolkien, JRR (John Ronald Reuel), 1892-
1973. Lord of the rings. 2 The two
towers See Tolkien, JRR (John Ronald
Reuel), 1892-1973. ...

10
Title   The best of ’Private Eye’. 1976: Lord Gnome of the Rings.
Publisher/year   London : Private Eye Productions : Deutsch, 1976.
Physical descr.   [95]p. : ill., 1port. ; 22cm.

11
Spin-offs from the films

Books about LotR / Critical

studies

12
More critical works, spin-offs, etc.

13
At last!

Hungarian

translation

14
Score for a
musical

15
9,410,000 HITS!

16
17
18
19
20
21
What is FRBR?

IFLA’s Functional Requirements for Bibliographic

Records (FRBR)

User tasks
 Find; Identify; Select; Obtain
Conceptual model
 Entities, Relationships, Attributes
Mandatory elements for a national level
bibliographic record

First part of a comprehensive conceptual model

 FRAD = Functional requirements for authority
data
 FRSAR = Functional requirements for subject
authority records
 FRBRoo = FRBR Object Oriented Model
a formal expression, developed with Museum
community
22
User tasks

To Find materials corresponding to stated search criteria (e.g. by an author,

on a topic, etc.).

To Identify an item as being that sought or to distinguish between two items

with the same title

To Select an item appropriate to the user’s needs (e.g. a specific edition, a

version in a specific language, or format).

To Obtain the item (by purchase, request for loan, or access to an on-line
resource.

23
User tasks

To Find materials corresponding to stated search criteria (e.g. by an author,

on a topic, etc.).

To Identify an item as being that sought or to distinguish between two items

with the same title

To Select an item appropriate to the user’s needs (e.g. a specific edition, a

version in a specific language, or format).

To Obtain the item (by purchase, request for loan, or access to an on-line
resource.

To Relate one entity to another to enable navigation within the universe of

entities

24
FRBR vocabulary

That’s a good book…

 It’s just the right size to prop
up my desk
ITEM
 I must get it!
MANIFESTATION
 Has it been translated?
EXPRESSION
 Who wrote this book?
WORK

25
 The “idea” of The Lord of the Rings:
Work e.g., the novel; the “movie”; the score.

The realisation of The Lord of the Rings in one or

more modes of expression: e.g. “English text”,
Expression “French translation”, “performance”, the director’s
cut.

Manifestation The embodiment of The Lord of the Rings: e.g.

CD audio book ISBN-13: 978-0007141326 ; or
Audio Cassette  ISBN 0007127448

Item
An exemplar of a manifestation of, “The Lord of
Group 1 entities the Rings”, e.g.: My copy!.
26
 Work Boris Godunov by Modeste Mussorgsky

the 1869 version,

the 1872 version,
Expression recorded performances of each of these versions

a single 1998 Polygram release of a recording of

Manifestation
the 2 versions by the conductor Valery Gergiev

the actual CDs held at the BnF with call number

Item SDC 12 116200

Group 1 entities
27
 Group 1 Entities’ Attributes

Manifestation
Work  ID
 ID  Title
 Title  Statement of responsibility
 Date  Edition
 etc.  Imprint (place, publisher, date)
 Form/extent of carrier
 Terms of availability
 Mode of access
Expression  etc.
 ID
 Title
Item
 Form  ID
 Date  Provenance
 Language  Location
 etc.  etc.

28
Group 2 and 3 Entities

Group 2 Group 3**

Person Concept

Corporate Body Object

Family* Place

Event

*Introduced by FRAD
(Functional Requirements for ** Further development by
Authority Data) FRSAR

29
Relationships

Relationships are important

They support navigation and display

Relationships can exist between entities within a group

Relationships can exist between groups.

Relationships can exist between entities at the same level of at

different levels.

There are different types of relationships

Hierarchies are an efficient way of recording information

30
 Work
Group 1 Entities
is realized through
Expression
Intellectual/
artistic content

Physical - is embodied in
recording of Manifestation
content

is exemplified by
Item
31
 Relationship
e.g. Bored of the rings  
whole/part
e.g. Lotr / The two towers
Work Work Work

Expression Relationship Expression

e.g. review
Relationship
e.g. translation

Group 1 entities
32
 Relationships Group 1 & Group 2
Work

Expression
FRBR
Manifestation

Item

is owned by
Person
is produced by
is realized by
is created by Corporate Body

many
33
 Group 2 Entities
Lord of the rings

Expression
FRBR
Manifestation

Item

is owned by
J.R.R Tolkien
is produced by
is realized by
is created by Corporate Body

many
34
 Group 2 Entities
Work

French Translation
FRBR
Manifestation

Item

is owned by
Francis Ledoux
is produced by
is realized by
is created by Corporate Body

many
35
 Group 2 Entities
Work

Expression
FRBR
Le seigneur des anneux

Item

is owned by
Person
is produced by
is realized by
is created by Christian Bourgois

many
36
 Group 2 Entities
Work

Expression
FRBR
Manifestation

YA.1990.a.19270

is owned by
Person
is produced by
is realized by
is created by

many
37
 DRAFT FRAD extension to FRBR

FRBR
Entities:
Person
Family
Corporate Body Name
Work Identifier
Expression
Manifestation
Access Point
Item
Concept
Rules
Object
Event
Place Agency

38
 Work FRBR
Work
Group 3
has as subject Expression Subject of Works

Manifestation
Item

has as subject Person

Corporate Body
Concept
Object
has as subject
Event
Place many
39
Benefits of FRBR

More flexible display

 Stratification

Improved navigation
 Relationships

More efficient circulation

 Manifestation requesting

More efficient cataloguing

 Assembly of components

40
 Search key: title = “Lord of the rings”

The catalogue contains the following works with this title:

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. [Novel] – 56 editions

Clare, John. The Lord of the Rings. [Score] – 2 editions

Oliver, Stephen. The Lord of the Rings. [Score] – 1 edition

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Lord of the Rings. [Drawing] – 1 edition

Resources about “The Lord of the Rings” = 44

41
 You selected the novel: The Lord of the Rings / by J.R.R Tolkien

Request Lord of the Rings in English or select from the list below:
Title Ed ition Date Co mments
nd
The Lord of the Rings. Part I. The [2 ] Unwin Books 1974
Fellowship of the Ring
nd
The Lord of the Rings. Part II. The two [2 ] Unwin Books 1974
towers
nd
The Lord of the Rings. Part III. The [2 ] Unwin Books 1974
return of the King
nd
The Lord of the Rings [2 ] Folio Society 1977 Illustrated by Ingahild Grath mer
The Lord of the Rings 3rd Unwin Paperbacks 1983
The Lord of the Rings Harper Co llins 1992 Illustrated by Alan Lee
More

The work is also available in the following languages:

Czech, [2] French, [5] German, [3] Italian, [1] Other, [3]

42
 You selected the novel: The Lord of the Rings / by J.R.R Tolkien
translated into Czech

1
Title: Pan prstenu
Publication details: [Praha]. [s.n.]. [198-?]
Description: 3. v.. map
Shelfmark: Cup.410.bb.101
Notes: Typescript (carbon copy)
Notes: Sa mizdat publication
Subject: Fict ion in English,. 1900-1945 ― Translations

2
Title: Pan prstenu. [prelozila stanislava Posustova]
Publication details: Praha. M lada fronta. 1990-1992
Joint author/editor: Posustova, Stanislava
Series: Trinact. sv. 190, 195, 197
Description: 3. v.
ISBN: 8020401946
ISBN: 8020402594
ISBN: 8020401059
Shelfmark: YA.1995.a.25577
Notes: Contents: sv. 1. Spolec? enstvo Prstenu - sv. 2. Dve? ve? z? e - sv. 3. Na´ v rat kra´ le
Subject: Fict ion in English,. 1945- ― Translations

43
44
45
FRBR and RDA

RDA is based on the FRBR model

RDA vocabulary is influenced by FRBR

It is difficult to imagine that FRBR can be realised without RDA

FRBR cannot be realised through RDA alone

In the next session we will look more closely at:

46
 SO WHAT? …
BRILLIANT! TOO
NOTHING TO GET
POWERFUL! TOO
EXCITED ABOUT
NEW!…

… we’ve been
… what exactly doing all this
is an
for some time
expression? how
can one
now…
catalogue it?…

Monograph Cataloguers Music Cataloguers

Conclusions of the 2001Report of the JSC Format Variation Working Group

47
New Books

Taylor, Arlene (ed.).

Understanding FRBR: What It Is and How It Will Affect Our Retrieval
Tools. Libraries Unlimited, 2007.
ISBN13: 9781591585091
ISBN10: 1591585090

Robert Maxwell
FRBR: A Guide for the Perplexed (Paperback)
American Library Association. © 2008
ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-0950-8
ISBN-10: 0-8389-0950-7

48
References

IME ICC http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/index.htm#IME-ICC

FRBR Review Group http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/

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

FRAD http://www.ifla.org/VII/d4/wg-franar.htm

FRSAR http://www.ifla.org/VII/s29/wgfrsar.htm

What is FRBR? A conceptual model for the bibliographic

universe. / Barbara Tillett. 2003.

http://www.loc.gov/cds/downloads/FRBR.PDF

49