About Thing 8
Purpose: BIBFRAME is a conceptual model used in working with linked library data. Are you wondering what day-to-day cataloging might look like using linked data? Here’s your chance to edit a BIBFRAME record!
Learning Outcomes: Users will familiarize themselves with the key concepts associated with BIBFRAME and how it relates to library cataloging.
Intended Audience: Beginner
Author: Violet Fox, Northwestern University
Expected Duration: 45-60 minutes
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Getting Started
In 2011, the Library of Congress began the Bibliographic Framework Initiative, BIBFRAME for short. In brief, this is LC’s effort to envision a replacement for MARC with a linked data solution.
Activities
- Watch this 11-minute video: "Essential BIBFRAME" by Amber Billey
- Review a brief diagram/overview of the BIBFRAME 2.0 model
- Edit a BIBFRAME record using LC's demo editor, Marva:
- Go to https://bibframe.org/
- Click on "Marva Editor."
- Click on "Create new record" on the left panel, then click the "monograph" profile to open a new workform.
- Fill out some fields! Try diving in and clicking on buttons—this is a demo, so you won’t break anything.
- If you need more help using the Marva Editor, look at the Marva editing manual and review a video showing the editing process.
- Once you have made some additions, click the "preview XML" button at the top of the page to see the code of the record. This is the coding that you've just edited to create the links in linked data. You're creating linked data—great work!
Reflection
How does editing a record in BIBFRAME feel different than editing a record in MARC or other systems you’ve used to edit metadata? What things are similar? Consider sharing your thoughts in the Comments section at the bottom of the page.
Additional Resources
Bibliographic Framework Initiative. https://www.loc.gov/bibframe/. Accessed 23 August 2022.
Claim Credit
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Differences: Less string coding needed, i.e., adding in a field's numeric value (245 |14); Automatic linking to established forms of names; Looks like fewer elements to look at and confirm; Serialized! No link or access to other items involving the same person; fairly skeletal in details, subject headings entry point not obvious.
Similar: No build in spell-check or input error message (i.e., date published is 2021, date entered is 2921); Have to know what each entry point signifies/means/requires data-wise; is still string encoding not programming per se; able to easily augment with additional relevant fields.
The interface at bibframe.org has changed, so now users must click Marva Editor (not BIBFRAME profile editor). It would be helpful to point out the video tutorials available via the Help link, as well as the user manual (https://guides.loc.gov/c.php?g=1170551&p=8550706&preview=003264c97f504c…). The link to the manual is available at the top of the page when you are editing a record.
Thanks for letting us know and for the suggestions! The author has updated the page and the third activity now points to Marva and help resources.
How does editing a record in BIBFRAME feel different than editing a record in MARC or other systems you’ve used to edit metadata? What things are similar?