Overview of the Library of Congress's BIBFRAME initiative, including an overview of the BIBFRAME model and core classes, the necessity of replacing MARC, BIBFRAME alignment with RDA and FRBR, and the kinds of bibliographic functionality BIBFRAME linked data might enable in the future. Presentation by Angela Kroeger of the Criss Library at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, presented at the Amigos Online Conference, "Is RDA on Your RaDAr?" February 20, 2014. Full presenter notes/script and bibliography available upon request. Contact angelajkroeger [at] gmail [dot] com.

1. The Buzz About
BIBFRAME
Angela Kroeger
Archives & Special Collections Associate
Criss Library, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Is RDA on Your RaDAr?
An Amigos Online Conference
February 20, 2014

2. What is BIBFRAME?
• Bibliographic Framework
• Traditional bibliographic records replaced by
linkages among metadata pieces
• Relationships gather the pieces together for
coherent display
• Think of LEGO bricks (Eric Miller’s analogy)

3. Why Replace MARC?
• Not used outside of libraries
• Not very interoperable with other metadata
schema
• MARC cannot accommodate the diversity of
linkages required in a Linked Data
environment
• Machine interpretation of MARC subfield
codes is dependent on accurate ISBD
punctuation

4. BIBFRAME Progress
• Nov. 2012 – BIBFRAME Model Primer
Released
• 2013 – Early experimenter trials, testing of
vocabularies, transformations, and RDF
• 2014 –Test implementations, stable RDF
vocabulary (version 1.0), creation of
implementation tools

5. BIBFRAME Basics
• Linked Data (structure)
• RDF (data interchange model)
• XML (encoding format)
• Entity-Relationship Model (concept)

6. A rose by any other name . . .
RDF triple:
subject--predicate--object
FRBR concept:
entity--relationship--attribute
BIBFRAME concept:
resource--relationship--property

7. MARC/XML vs. BIBFRAME RDF/XML
Author of a book, expressed in MARC/XML:
The same author, expressed in BIBFRAME RDF/XML:
Example: BIBID 4541231 (The literature of the ancient Egyptians)
BIBFRAME Comparison Tool: http://bibframe.org/tools/compare/

8. BIBFRAME is all about

9. BIBFRAME Data Model Core Classes
• WORK – “conceptual essence of the
cataloging item”
• INSTANCE – “individual, material
embodiment of a Work”
• AUTHORITY – “authority concept which has a
defined relationship to a Work or Instance”
• ANNOTATION – “augments another main
BIBFRAME class when knowing who asserted
the Annotation is vital information”
Source: Kevin Ford, "BIBFRAME: Not Just Walking, But Running," Information Standards Quarterly 25 no. 4
(Winter 2013), http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/download.php/11947/BIBFRAME_isqv25no4.pdf

10. BIBFRAME and RDA and FRBR
• BIBFRAME creators use terms like “RDA-lite”
and “FRBR-esque”
• BIBFRAME is independent of RDA and FRBR,
but not incompatible with them

11. WEMI vs. WIAA
(FRBR Group 1 Entities vs. BIBFRAME Core Classes)
• BF:Work = FRBR:Work + FRBR:Expression
• BF:Instance = FRBR:Manifestation +
FRBR:Item
OR . . .
• BF:Work = FRBR:Work + FRBR:Expression
• BF:Instance = FRBR:Manifestation
• BF:Annotation = FRBR:Item

12. BIBFRAME Work
Work XML properties include things like:
• translation and translationOf
• absorbed, absorbedBy, and splitInto
• derivedFrom
• originDate
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Work: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Work.html

13. BIBFRAME Work
Work types include things like:
• Audio
• MixedMaterial
• MovingImage
• StillImage
• Text
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Work: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Work.html

14. RDA Content Types Mapped to
BIBFRAME Work Subclasses
RDA content: Text
= BIBFRAME Work: Language Material
RDA content: Spoken word
= BIBFRAME Work: Audio with subtype: nonmusical +
spoken word
RDA content: Cartographic tactile 3-dimensional form
= BIBFRAME Work: Cartography + Tactile + Three
dimensional object
BIBFRAME Resource Types: http://bibframe.org/documentation/resource-types/

15. BIBFRAME Instance
Instance XML properties include things like:
• accompanies and accompaniedBy
• carrierCategory
• dimensions
• editionResponsiblity
• publication
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Instance: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Instance.html

16. BIBFRAME Instance
Instance types include things like:
• Archival
• Collection
• Electronic or Print
• Monograph, MultipartMonograph, or Serial
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Instance: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Instance.html

17. BIBFRAME Authority
Authority types include things like:
• Agent (subtypes: Family, Jurisdiction, Meeting,
Organization, Person)
• Place
• Temporal
• Topic
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Authority: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Authority.html

18. “Lightweight Abstraction Layer”
• BIBFRAME Authorities do not replace existing
authorities, but facilitates access to many
authority types
• A BIBFRAME Authority may link to one or more
existing authorities, like LCSH or the Getty
Thesaurus
• If no other authorities exist, the “lightweight
abstraction layer” itself provides the
authoritative URI
• One BIBFRAME Authority per entity
Source: Kevin Ford and Ted Fons, eds., "On BIBFRAME Authority," discussion paper, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C., August 15, 2013, http://bibframe.org/documentation/bibframe-authority/

19. BIBFRAME Annotation
Annotation types include things like:
• CoverArt
• HeldMaterial
• Review
• Summary
• TableOfContents
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Annotation: http://bibframe.org/vocab/Annotation.html

20. Annotation Type: HeldMaterial
HeldMaterial XML properties include things like:
• accessCondition
• heldBy
• lendingPolicy
• subLocation
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Held Material: http://bibframe.org/vocab/HeldMaterial.html

21. Further down the rabbit hole . . .
Annotation type HeldMaterial itself has a
subtype: HeldItem
HeldItem XML properties include things like:
• barcode
• circulationStatus
• shelfMark (physical shelf location)
• shelfMarkDdc or shelfMarkLcc (call number)
BIBFRAME Draft Vocabulary for Held Item: http://bibframe.org/vocab/HeldItem.html

22. BIBFRAME Linked Data

23. Source: Kevin Ford, "The BIBFRAME Model: High-Level Concepts and Objectives," webinar #1
presented to the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Library and Information Studies,
November 6, 2013, http://www.slis.wisc.edu/BFwebin.htm

24. What can BIBFRAME + RDA do that
MARC + AACR2 cannot?
Fontenelle Forest, Bellevue, Nebraska. Photograph © 2009 by Angela Kroeger

25. BIBFRAME Use Cases
• “Books near me (Identify holdings of
Instance)”
• “Mobile Reading (Discover Instances by
Type)”
• “Broadening Search (Discover Adaptations of
a Work)”
• “Local Subject Classification (Authority
Updates)”
BIBFRAME Use Cases: http://bibframe.org/documentation/bibframe-usecases/

26. BIBFRAME Test Suite Harness: http://bibframe.org/tools/tests/

27. Possible Convergence of BIBFRAME and
OCLC’s schema.org Bib Extension Vocabulary
Source: Carol Jean Godby, "The Relationship Between BIBFRAME and OCLC's Linked-Data Model of
Bibliographic Description: A Working Paper," OCLC, Dublin, Ohio, September 2013, page 30.
http://oclc.org/content/dam/research/publications/library/2013/2013-05.pdf

28. The Future of Bibliographic Control
Fontenelle Forest, Bellevue, Nebraska. Photograph © 2013 by Angela Kroeger

29. Questions or Comments?
Angela Kroeger
akroeger@unomaha.edu

30. References
Dean, Jason W. "Charles A. Cutter and Edward Tufte: Coming to a Library Near You, Via BIBFRAME." In the Library with the Lead Pipe
(blog). December 4, 2013. http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2013/charles-a-cutter-and-edward-tufte-coming-to-a-library-
near-you-via-bibframe/
Denenberg, Ray, ed. "BIBFRAME annotation model." Discussion paper, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., August 26, 2013.
http://bibframe.org/documentation/annotations/
Ford, Kevin. "BIBFRAME: Not Just Walking, But Running." Information Standards Quarterly 25 no. 4 (Winter 2013).
http://www.niso.org/apps/group_public/download.php/11947/BIBFRAME_isqv25no4.pdf
Ford, Kevin. "The BIBFRAME Model: High-Level Concepts and Objectives." Webinar #1 presented to the University of Wisconsin-Madison
School of Library and Information Studies, November 6, 2013. http://www.slis.wisc.edu/BFwebin.htm
Ford, Kevin. "Transitioning from MARC to BIBFRAME: The Environment and the Format." Webinar #2 presented to the University of
Wisconsin-Madison School of Library and Information Studies, January 8, 2014. http://www.slis.wisc.edu/BFwebin.htm
Ford, Kevin, and Ted Fons, eds. "On BIBFRAME Authority." Discussion paper, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., August 15, 2013.
http://bibframe.org/documentation/bibframe-authority/
Godby, Carol Jean. "The Relationship Between BIBFRAME and OCLC's Linked-Data Model of Bibliographic Description: A Working Paper."
Working paper, OCLC, Dublin, Ohio, September 2013. http://oclc.org/content/dam/research/publications/library/2013/2013-05.pdf
Guenther, Rebecca, ed. "BIBFRAME Resource Types Discussion Paper." Discussion paper, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., June 25,
2013. http://bibframe.org/documentation/resource-types/
Wiggins, Beacher J.E., Sally Hart McCallum, Vinod Chachra, and Eric Miller. "Bibliographic Framework Initiative (BIBFRAME) Update."
Presentation by the Library of Congress, November 22, 2013. http://www.loc.gov/bibframe/media/updateforum-nov22-2013.html
Miller, Eric, Uche Ogbuji, Victoria Mueller, and Kathy MacDougall. Bibliographic Framework as a Web of Data: Linked Data Model and
Supporting Services (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 2012). http://www.loc.gov/marc/transition/pdf/marcld-report-11-21-
2012.pdf
Miller, Eric, Victoria Mueller, Uche Ogbuji, Kathy MacDougall, and Zepheira, eds. "BIBFRAME Use Cases and Requirements." Discussion
paper, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., August 21, 2013. http://bibframe.org/documentation/bibframe-usecases/
Nimsakont, Emily Dust. "Beyond MARC: BIBFRAME and the Future of Bibliographic Data." NCompass Live. Webinar presented by the
Nebraska Library Commission, January 2, 2014. http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventshow.asp?ProgID=12856
Shieh, Jackie. "A Transformative Opportunity: BIBFRAME at the George Washington University, an Early Experimenter." Information
Standards Quarterly 25 no. 4 (Winter 2013): 17-21. http://www.niso.org/publications/isq/2013/v25no4/shieh/
United States Library of Congress & Zepheira. BIBFRAME Test Suite Harness, accessed January 28, 2014. http://bibframe.org/tools/tests/
United States Library of Congress & Zepheira. BIBFRAME.ORG Technical Site. Website for the Bibliographic Framework Initiative project,
accessed January 24, 2014. http://bibframe.org/
Yee, Martha M. "Can Bibliographic Data Be Put Directly onto the Semantic Web?" Information Technology & Libraries 28, no. 2 (June 2009):
55-80. doi:10.6017/ital.v28i2.3175.