How FRBR, RDA, and other standards help describe relationships between information objects.

1. FRBR & RDA:
Relationships in
Cataloging
LIS 653
Spring 2014
Starr Hoffman

2. Goals…
 Understand a little about the FRBR model
(relationships & entities)
 Think about how FRBR could change OPAC result
displays
 Understand that RDA uses FRBR as a basis for new
rules
 FRBR lays groundwork for Linked Open Data
functions…

3. How it All Fits Together
Record
Authority control
(standardized author
name: J. R. R. Tolkien)
(representation
of bibliographic
information)
Encoding
(MARC, XML)
Code
(rules: AACR2,
RDA)
Structure
(ISBD, XML)
Subject
headings
(LCSH, Sears, AAT)
Classification
(shelving: LC,
Dewey)
Model
(FRBR, trad.
model)
Record is displayed in an OPAC,
online database, etc.
Format
(MARC,
Dublin Core)

4. FRBR: a model of relationships
FRBR =
Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records
 Developed in 1998 by IFLA
 IFLA: international library organization (International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions)
 A conceptual model
 Not: a system design, record structure, content standard, or encoding format
 Organizes information objects in groups based on their function/role in
the bibliographic universe
 Deals with relationships: between works/items, between works and
derivative works, between works and people, etc.
 Identifies user tasks (find, identify, select, obtain/access, list)

5. FRBR Entities
Group 1: products of intellectual/artistic endeavor:
 Work: a distinct intellectual or artistic creation
 Expression: the realization of a work
 Manifestation: the physical embodiment of an
expression of a work
 Item: a specific, single copy of a manifestation

6. FRBR Entities: Group 1
WORK:
Jane Austen’s Emma
EXPRESSION:
English recording of the text
is
realized
through
MANIFESTATION:
•1) CD audiobook (read by Juliet Stevenson in 2006)
•2) Mp3 (read by Wanda McCaddon in 2008)
ITEM:
Specific copy of the CD audiobook held at NYPL
Specific copy of the CD audiobook at CUNY
is
embodied
in
is
exemplified
by
-- Call number: CD FIC A
-- Call number:
Audiobooks PA 36

7. FRBR Entities: Group 1
WORK:
Jane Austen’s Emma
EXPRESSION:
English text
MANIFESTATION:
is
realized
through
• Hardback first edition, 1815
• Reprinted 1972 edition, introduction by R. Blythe
ITEM:
Specific copy of the 1972 paperback, personal
copy
Specific copy of the 1972 edition at NYPL
is
embodied
in
is
exemplified
by
-- Call number: Classics FIC A

8. FRBR Relationships
WORK:
Jane Austen’s
Emma
EXPRESSION:
English text
MANIFESTATION:
• Hardback first edition, 1815
• Reprinted 1972 edition,
introduction by R. Blythe
ITEM:
Personal copy,1972 paperback
NYPL copy of 1972 edition
WORK:
1996 film Emma
EXPRESSION:
English recording
MANIFESTATION:
• Collector’s edition DVD
• Theatrical release Blu-ray
ITEM:
Personal copy of DVD
NYPL copy of Blu-ray
-- Call number: Classics FIC A
Formed basis for
derivative work…

9. FRBR Entities
Group 2: persons (or corporate bodies) responsible
for the intellectual/artistic content, physical
production and dissemination, or custodianship of a
work.
Examples:
 Harper Collins, the publisher of a work
 Jane Austen, the author of a work

10. FRBR Entities: Groups 1 & 2
Jane
Austen
RELATIONSHIPS
created…
WORK:
Emma
Jane
Austen
realized this work
as…
EXPRESSION:
English text
Penguin
Publishers
published /
produced…
MANIFESTATION:
Reprinted 1972
edition of Emma
NYPL owns…
ITEM:
Shelved at 58th
street branch
Group 2: person or corporate body
RELATIONSHIPS
Group 1: intellectual or artistic endeavor

11. FRBR Entities
Group 3: subjects of an intellectual/artistic
endeavor—may be a concept, object, event,
place, and/or any Group 1 or Group 2 entity,
Examples:
 The French Revolution
 the event that is the subject of the musical Les Miz
 Jane Austen
 an author of books (Group 2) who is the subject of the
movie Becoming Jane

12. FRBR Compared to Other Models
 One-entity model (an inventory)
 Each individual copy (or item) has its own record
 Two-entity model (currently common)
 Catalog records represent editions (FRBR manifestations) that may have multiple
copies (items)
 Current catalog records are often at this level, with holdings information for each
item (number of copies, call numbers)
 Three-entity model
 Catalog that uses consistent uniform titles
 Multiple expressions are not collocated
 Four-entity model (FRBR)
 Works/expressions are collocated
 Long results lists are compacted
 Easier for user who only cares about the work (i.e., “I want to read Jane Austen’s
Emma, I don’t care what edition”) to quickly find all available items of that work
 Easier for user to find related works (i.e., movies adapted from books)
 V/FRBR test catalog: Scherzo: http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/projects/vfrbr/
 Example: search for work “Moonlight Sonata”
 Previous Indiana catalog: list of over 100 results, displayed in reverse chronological
order, included unrelated books

13. So… What about RDA?
 RDA started as AACR3 (new cataloging rules) in
2004/2005
 Renamed to indicate a break from the AACR
tradition
 Based on FRBR model of bibliographic relationships

14. Changes in RDA from AACR2 (Benefits)
 Most changes (AACR2 to RDA) implemented with batch
modifications
 Some require manual updates
 RDA organized according to entities (FRBR’s 3 groups) rather
than format (AACR2)
 Move away from GMD (general material designation)
 Catalog format separately from content
 More flexibility, create records for new formats
 RDA better handles Group 2 entities (responsible
persons/corporate bodies)
 Account for creators/contributors other than “authors”
 AACR2/MARC 245 statement of responsibility not explicit
about responsibility (RDA is)
 Move away from “Rule of Three” (multiple authors)

15. AACR2 to RDA Example
Example: book titled, Managing Bird Damage to Fruit and Other Horticultural Crops, coauthored by John
Tracy, Mary Bomford, Quentin Hart, Glen Saunders, and Ron Sinclair. (Example created by Adam Schiff at the
University of Washington Libraries: http://rdabasics.com/2012/09/10/specific-changes-from-aacr2-to-rda/)
AACR2 would code the book thusly in MARC:
 245 00 $a Managing bird damage to fruit and other
horticultural crops / John Tracey … [et al.].
 700 1_ $a Tracey, John Paul.
RDA codes the book in MARC this way:
 100 1_ $a Tracey, John Paul, $e author.
 245 10 $a Managing bird damage to fruit and other
horticultural crops / John Tracey, Mary Bomford, Quentin
Hart, Glen Saunders, Ron Sinclair.
 700 1_ $a Bomford, Mary, $e author.
 700 1_ $a Hart, Quentin, $e author.
 700 1_ $a Saunders, Glen, $e author.
 700 1_ $a Sinclair, Ron, $e author.

16. Takeaways for FRBR & RDA
 FRBR is about relationships between entities
 RDA is a new catalog code (rules) based on the FRBR model
of entities & relationships
 There is controversy over RDA (too much change, not
enough change, just enough)
 Many (not all) libraries are gradually adopting RDA in their
cataloging
 For now, MARC remains the record format/encoding
standard
 As with AACR2 or metadata description rules, the basic
principles of info org. remain the same:
 “Say what you see” – describe the info object
 Think about your collection’s users:
 How are they likely to search for this object?
 How can you make this object easy to discover?