Some outcomes of the
CRM/FRBR harmonization: the
definition of manifestation and a
review of attributes
Maja Žumer
University of Ljubljana
FRBR/CRM harmonization
Will be discussed in detail by Patrick Le
Boeuf on Wednesday
A working group discussing (possible)
convergence of FRBR (E-R model of the
library community) and CIDOC CRM (O-O
model of the museum community)
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Expressing FRBR as O-O
• Re-examination of entities
• Review of attributes
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
In this presentation
• manifestation
• attributes
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Manifestation in FRBR
The physical embodiment of an expression
of a work
“When a work is realized, the resulting
expression of the work may be physically
embodied on or in a medium such as
paper, audio tape, video tape, canvas,
plaster, etc.”
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
What makes a new manifestation
• Changes in physical form
– Display characteristics (typeface, layout)
– Changes in physical medium (paper to microfilm)
– Changes in the container (casette to cartridge)
• Changes in production process
– Publication, marketing (change in publisher, repackaging)
But:
Changes that affect the intellectual or artictic content
result in a new manifestation embodying a new
expression of the work
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
“Dual nature” of manifestation
• A single physical exemplar
• Multiple copies for public dissemination or
distribution
– Formal production process
– Limited number of copies for private study or
preservation
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Single exemplar
• “In some cases there may be only a single
physical exemplar produced of that
manifestation of the work (an author’s
manuscript, a tape recorded for an oral
history archive, an original oil painting,
etc.)”
Physical object
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Multiple copies
“Whether the scope of production is broad
or limited, the SET of copies produced in
each case constitutes a manifestation.”
A set is an abstract notion
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Proposal
Both ‘types’ of manifestation are not equal,
so we need two distinct entities:
• Single exemplar (manifestation sigleton)
• A set of exemplars (manifestation product
type)
They are different by nature and have
different attributes, different relationships
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Attributes in FRBR
Derived from analysis of data typically reflected
in bibliographic records
The principal sources:
• ISBDs
• Guidelines for Authority and Reference Entries
(GARE)
• Guidelines for Subject Authority and Reference
Entries (GSARE)
• UNIMARC Manual
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
...
Comprehensive but not exhaustive
Attributes defined at logical level (as viewed
by a user, rather than specific data
elements defined by catalogers):
• Individual data elements
• Aggregate of discrete data elements (e.g.
title of manifastation)
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Issue no. 1
Attributes were defined from existing
practice and mapped to user functions
later.
Are some attributes missing? Shouldn’t
attributes be defined from the analysis of
functions and entities? Are electronic
resources appropriately dealt with?
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
FRBR/CRM analysis
• There are (too) many attributes for each
entity
– Create a superclass
– Split into more classes
• Some attributes are not assigned to
appropriate entities
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Examples
• original language of the work
• medium of performance (musical work)
• revisability of expression
• extensibility of expression
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005
Proposal
A review of attributes
• Based on user functions and specific
needs within functions
• Include electronic resources
FRBR workshop
May 2, 2005