   
Section on Cataloguing
Working Group on FRBR
(Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records)
In 1997 the Standing Committee of the IFLA Section on Cataloguing approved the FRBR model. There is increasing acceptance of this model and work within IFLA and beyond to extend the model from the Group 1 entities (work, expression, manifestation, and item), to Group 2 (persons and corporate bodies - e.g., work now going on in the FRANAR Working Group), and Group 3 entities (subjects).
This proposed Working Group is envisioned to provide a focal point within IFLA for the ongoing support and development of the conceptual, to encourage the implementation of FRBR as a data model and a reference model for the bibliographic universe.
Specifics of the terms of reference and deliverables will be developed during the Glasgow conference (August 2002), but approval to proceed is requested with this memo. The WG would facilitate the updating of the ISBDs (in cooperation with the Section on Cataloguing's ISBD Review Group), assist with proposals for incorporating FRBR terminology and concepts in an international cataloging code (with the Section on Bibliography and Section on Serial Publications, Geography and Map Libraries, Rare Books and Manuscripts), monitor and assist with the development of FRBR concepts in bibliographic record communication formats (with the Permanent UNIMARC Committee), assist with and encourage continued enhancement of the model (with FRANAR Working Group and follow-up groups exploring the Group 3 entities (subjects) and beyond with the Section on Classification and Indexing), recommend improvements to existing OPACs (with the Section on Information Technology), develop training tools and maintain a bibliography on FRBR (with the Section on Library Theory and Research), provide mappings or point to mappings with related models and ontologies, and generally promote FRBR.
The IFLA Standing Committee of the Section on Cataloguing would like to host this Working Group and assure representation from the other above-mentioned IFLA sections - with no more than 10 members. Patrick Le Boeuf (Bibliothèque national de France) has agreed to chair the group.
A listserv and Web site are planned to facilitate communication and to provide a focus for ongoing information sharing and discussion.
This Working Group on FRBR would report to the Standing Committee of the Section on Cataloguing and the representative members would also keep their respective Sections updated on activities. An annual report of activities would be included with the Section on Cataloguing's report.
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