Mission

The Cataloguing Section of IFLA is the leader of international developments in cataloguing theory, activities, and standards development. The Section analyzes the principles and functions of cataloguing activities for all types of materials and media, including both bibliographic and authority information, for the benefit of all kinds of users. The Section proposes and develops cataloguing rules, guidelines, and standards for bibliographic information, taking into account the developing electronic and networked environment in order to promote universal access to and exchange of bibliographic and authority information.

The Section also provides leadership in the development of various standards and guidelines related to data modeling (e.g. FRBR, FRAD, FRSAR), bibliographic activities, such as corporate name headings, authority entries, OPAC displays, and metadata standards. Co-operation with other sections is in many of these cases needed and desired.

Goals

(Pillar: Profession; Professional priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing; (h) Developing library professionals; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillar: Profession; Professional priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing; (h) Developing library professionals; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillar: Profession; Professional priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillar: Profession; Professional priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice; (k) Representing libraries in the technological marketplace)

(Pillar: Profession; Professional priorities: (d) Providing unrestricted access to information; (f) Promoting resource sharing; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillars: Society, Members, Profession; Professional priorities: (c) Promoting literacy and reading; (f) Promoting resource sharing; (h) Developing library professional; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillars: Members, Profession; Professional priorities: (a) Supporting the role of libraries in society; (d) Providing unrestricted access to information; (f) Promoting resource sharing; (h) Developing library professionals; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

(Pillars: Members, Profession; Professional priorities: (f) Promoting resource sharing; (h) Developing library professionals; (i) Promoting standards, guidelines, and best practice)

  1. Promote the development of an international cataloguing code for bibliographic description and access.

    • 1.1 Share the draft statement of international cataloguing principles of the IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code (IME ICC) as updated at Seoul in 2006 and at Pretoria in 2007 with former meeting attendees and with other IFLA sections, especially the Classification and Indexing Section and the Bibliography Section.
    • 1.2 Encourage translations of the draft statement of international cataloguing principles and glossary; make those translations and other information available on the meeting Web sites.
    • 1.3 Prepare the report in 2007 for IME ICC5 (Pretoria) to submit to publishers in 2008.
    • 1.4   Conduct a worldwide review of the draft statement in 2008 to determine the final statement of cataloguing principles and publish it in 2008; encourage translations of the final statement for posting on IFLA Web sites and possible IFLA publication in the IFLA Bibliographic Control series.
    • 1.5 In 2008, begin the work of a Working Group on an International Cataloguing Code for description and access to create a code for rule-makers. Take into account subject cataloguing as relevant. Collaborate with the Bibliography Section, the Classification and Indexing Section, and other sections as appropriate. Include review of existing and recently updated codes.
  2. Continue development and use of the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) model.

    • 2.1 Maintain and develop the FRBR model in entity-relationship formulation by issuing amendments, following world-wide reviews.

      • Issue the amendment to section 3.2.2 (expression entity) by end of 2007;
      • Assess any amendments to be recommended by the Working Group on Aggregates;
      • Assess other reviewing suggestions and follow through as appropriate.
    • 2.2 Make plans to adjust the model to reflect the work of the FRANAR and FRSAR groups and the work on the object-oriented formulation of FRBR.
    • 2.3 Develop an object-oriented formulation of FRBR jointly with CIDOC-CRM.

      • Complete version 1.0 of FRBRoo and issue it for comment in 2008;
      • Develop a "core" model for implementation;
      • Support the development of an implementation prototype.
    • 2.4 Liaise with appropriate bodies in other communities (such as the Dublin Core Resource Description and Access Task Force) and explore opportunities to express FRBR in other conceptual models and applications.

      • Complete a project to create RDF namespaces for FRBR entities in 2008.
    • 2.5 Develop, update and make available guidelines and interpretative documents to assist those applying the FRBR model.

      • Update the FRBR Bibliography semi-annually;
      • Prepare new FAQs for the FRBR pages on the IFLA website, starting with those on the expression entity;
      • Provide interpretive text on the treatment of aggregates within FRBR.
    • 2.6 Continue representation on the IFLA Working Group on Functional Requirements and Numbering for Authority Records (FRANAR) and on the IFLA Working Group on Functional Requirements of Subject Authority Records (FRSAR).
    • 2.7 Maintain liaisons between the FRBR Review Group and the ISBD Review Group and with rule-makers in order to have the main principles of FRBR reflected in cataloguing codes.
    • 2.8 Liaise with ICABS, other IFLA units, vendor groups (such as the ALA FRBR Implementers’ Group), and with other relevant groups to assure widespread awareness and use of FRBR.
    • 2.9 Monitor and publicize translations of the FRBR document.
  3. Continue ISBD revision.

    • 3.1 Develop a policy recommendation on formulation and use of material designators in bibliographic records in 2008 for publication in 2009.
    • 3.2 Begin the work on the first revision to the consolidated ISBD for publication in 2009.
    • 3.3 Develop a supplement of examples to submit to publishers in 2008.
    • 3.4 Provide leadership in encouraging harmonization of existing cataloguing rules with the ISBD through communication with rule-making bodies internationally, with the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA, and with the new Working Group on an International Cataloguing Code that is to be formed in 2008.
    • 3.5 Liaise with ICABS, the IFLA/IPA Steering Group, with other IFLA units, and with other relevant groups to assure widespread use of the ISBD as a metadata content scheme.
    • 3.6 Encourage translations of the consolidated ISBD.
  4. Provide leadership in defining cataloguing processes, the role of cataloguing activities and the cataloguer in particular in the context of digital publishing; develop guidelines for organizing the expanding amount of digital resources.

    • 4.1 Include a paper at Québec open session on the treatment of metadata in DAISY books in co-operation with the Libraries for the Blind Section.
    • 4.2 Include a paper at Québec open session on the sharing of standards within libraries, museums and archives to facilitate cultural heritage discovery.
    • 4.3 Begin developing guidelines for bibliographic data for digital objects.
    • 4.4 Begin identifying appropriate partners in digital publishing and tool-makers for digital publishing for consultation and promotion of bibliographic standards.
  5. Develop additional approaches, standards, rules, and lists for information that provide access to bibliographic and authority data in all languages.

    • 5.1 Publish Anonymous Classics, Part 3, Africa. Distribute Part 4, Asia, for review. Develop contacts for work on Part 2, Latin America.
    • 5.2 Monitor Unicode activities and keep the Section members informed of new developments via the Section newsletter.
    • 5.3 Support the work on the virtual international authority file (VIAF) project and share information about the project.
    • 5.4 Continue updating Names of Persons. Invite comments, additions, and updates. Add Chinese section.
  6. Explore opportunities for promoting cataloguing activities, especially for developing countries.

    • 6.1 Ensure that the section standards, guidelines, and reports are available in print and/or on the IFLA website.
    • 6.2 Continue to promote bibliographic standards and information about cataloguing developments around the world via documents from Standing Committee groups, the Section newsletter, and information in International Cataloguing and Bibliographic Control.
    • 6.3 Provide updated information for the division's listing of standards.
  7. Provide information about the work of the Section and Standing Committee.

    • 7.1 Assure distribution of all relevant documents to all Section members.
    • 7.2 Continue communication of Section and Standing Committee activities through the Section newsletter, the open programme of the Section, the IFLA website, ICBC, CATSMAIL (the Section list) etc.
    • 7.3. Post the strategic plan of the Section on the IFLA website and encourage translations.
    • 7.4. Encourage translations of Section documents and of open programme papers.
  8. Promote membership in the Section, emphasizing a broader geographic representation on the Standing Committee.

    • 8.1 Involve more representatives from existing institutional members in attending meetings of the Standing Committee and in participating in the various Working Groups of the Section by emphasizing opportunities in the Section newsletter and via CATSMAIL (the Section list).
    • 8.2 Send information on the activities of the Section to library associations in underrepresented regions of the world, to IFLA offices for Asia and Latin America, and to chairs of sections in IFLA Division VIII.