ATLA 2015 - Introduction to BIBFRAME

BIBFRAME

BIBFRAME, short for Bibliographic Framework Initiative, refers to both the vocabulary as well as the communities and organizations that understand the importance of bibliographic data to libraries and other cultural heritage institutions.

Initiated by the Library of Congress, BIBFRAME provides a foundation for the future of bibliographic description, both on the web, and in the broader networked world…In addition to being a replacement for MARC, BIBFRAME serves as a general model for expressing and connecting bibliographic data. A major focus of the initiative will be to determine a transition path for the MARC 21 formats while preserving a robust data exchange that has supported resource sharing and cataloging cost savings in recent decades.

BIBFRAME Vocabulary

The BIBFRAME Vocabulary is a RDF ontology that defines subjects, predicates (properties), and objects and starting with the most general class called a Resource. The Resource class has four main sub-classes:

  • Work - reflects the conceptual essence of the cataloging resource
  • Instance - reflects the individual, material embodiment of the Work
  • Authority - reflects the key authority concepts having defined relationships with Works and Instances.
  • Annotation - a resource that enhances the knowledge about another resource

Works

Instances

Authorities

Annotations