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Functional requirements for bibliographic records: an investigation of two prototypes

Jan Pisanski (National and University Library, Ljubljana, Slovenia)
Maja Žumer (Department of Library and Information Science and Book Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Program: electronic library and information systems

ISSN: 0033-0337

Article publication date: 2 October 2007

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to establish how the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) conceptual model, which holds a lot of potential in theory, works in practice. It also aims to identify, and if possible, give solutions to problems found in two of the existing prototypes.

Design/methodology/approach

An independent evaluation and comparison of two of the most recent FRBR‐based prototypes, OCLC FictionFinder and the LibraryLabs, was carried out in January 2007.

Findings

FictionFinder focuses almost exclusively on the concept of work, while the LibraryLabs prototype applies an FRBR‐like structure only as part of a larger group of experiments. Neither of the prototypes fully follows FRBR, owing to issues associated with current cataloguing practice and the model itself. These barriers also cause some practical shortcomings for these prototypes, however new results displays clearly enhance the user experience.

Research limitations/implications

The prototypes may not be representative of the whole population of FRBR‐based implementations. Also, technical aspects of the implementations were not taken into account, as user experience was given full priority.

Practical implications

The identified problems and any given solutions should help not only the authors of the two prototypes, but also other researches in the field.

Originality/value

This paper offers a rare published independent evaluation of two FRBR‐based prototypes, giving pointers towards improvement and establishing the position of current FRBR implementation relative to what is expected in the future.

Keywords

Citation

Pisanski, J. and Žumer, M. (2007), "Functional requirements for bibliographic records: an investigation of two prototypes", Program: electronic library and information systems, Vol. 41 No. 4, pp. 400-417. https://doi.org/10.1108/00330330710831602

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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