1. From FRBR to FRBROO through CIDOC CRM…
International Symposium on the Future of Information Organization Research
October 4-5, 2010, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
From FRBR to FRBROO through CIDOC CRM…
A Common Ontology for Cultural Heritage Information
Patrick Le Bœuf, National Library of France

2. I. Background

3. 1990s: 2 simultaneous processes
IFLA Development of a conceptual model for bibliographic information: FRBR
1996 ICOM CIDOC Development of a conceptual model for museum information: CIDOC CRM

4. FRBR “Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records”
An entity-relationship (ER) model
Primary goals:
explain the content of library catalogs,
provide a scientific basis for simplified cataloging
Environment: highly standardized, relatively homogeneous (ISBD, MARC)
Models products, not processes
Chinese translation: <

5. CIDOC CRM “Conceptual Reference Model” An object-oriented (OO) model
Primary goal:
enable information exchange and integration between heterogeneous sources of cultural heritage information
Environment: relatively heterogeneous
Models processes resulting in products, along with products
Chinese translation: should be available by the end of October 2010 (Heritage Conservation Center of the National Heritage Board of Singapore)

6. Cultural heritage information
Both libraries and museums record, manage and publish cultural heritage information
Borders can be blurred (art prints…)
Why not bring both models together?...

7. Semantic Web, Linked Data…
The Web has evolved:
Express data as RDF statements
Relate data to ontologies
Increases the interest in developing a common ontology for library and museum information

8. A cross-domain effort
2003: Working Group on FRBR/CIDOC CRM Harmonization
Members from both communities
Goal: rephrase FRBR as an extension to CIDOC CRM
using same methodology as CIDOC CRM
reusing basic structures from CIDOC CRM
occasionally modifying CIDOC CRM
2009: publication of FRBROO version 1.0

9. Main features of FRBR (1/3)
Her book was read throughout the world
Her book is in Chinese
I ordered that book
The book is on the bookshelf
Work
is realized through
Expression
is embodied in
Manifestation
is exemplified by
Item

10. Main features of FRBR (2/3)
Work
created
is realized through
Person
Corporate Body
Expression
realized
is embodied in
produced
Manifestation
owns
is exemplified by
Item

11. Main features of FRBR (3/3)
is about
Object
Event
Place
Concept
Work
created
is realized through
Expression
Person
realized
is embodied in
produced
Corporate Body
Manifestation
owns
is exemplified by
Item

12. Main features of CIDOC CRM
E55 Type
serves to categorize any of
E28 Conceptual Object
E39 Actor
E18 Physical Thing
E5 Event
affects
took part in
identifies any of
E41 Appellation
E7 Activity
occurred at some time during
occurred in
E53 Place
E52 Time-Span

13. Main activities in CIDOC CRM
P11 had participant (participated in)
E7 Activity
E39 Actor
P14 carried out by (performed)
E65 Creation
E11 Modification
(etc.)
E12 Production
World of ideas
Physical World

14. Dates in CIDOC CRM e.g.: Ming Dynasty 明朝 e.g.: 1368-1644 E7 Activity
P4 has time-span (is time-span of)
E52 Time-Span
P78 is identified by (identifies)
E49 Time Appellation
e.g.: Ming Dynasty 明朝
E50 Date
e.g.:

15. II. How to read, understand, and use FRBROO
<

16. The ingredients of FRBROO
Classes, identified by:
a code, e.g. F1
a name, e.g. Work
 F1 Work
Properties, identified by:
a code, e.g. R2
a name, e.g. is derivative of (has derivative)
 F1 Work R2 is derivative of (has derivative) F1 Work
Names are not sufficient – read the scope notes!
No “attributes” – only “properties” between and among classes

17. Sharper definitions than in FRBR
F1 Work: a sum of concepts
F2 Expression: a sum of signs
3 meanings for “Work”:
all concepts conveyed by each individual Expression: F14 Individual Work
all concepts common to various Expressions and serving to identify “bibliographic families”: F15 Complex Work
the concept of adding something to Expressions (e.g. by aggregating them): F16 Container Work

18. Sharper definitions than in FRBR
FRBRER: Manifestation = “the physical embodiment of an expression of a work”; a single physical exemplar or a set of multiple copies
ambiguous definition! physical or abstract?
FRBROO: Manifestation was split into:
F3 Manifestation Product Type = an abstract “type” exemplified by “identical” physical copies
F4 Manifestation Singleton = a unique physical carrier (manuscript, painting, master recording…)

19. From processes to products (1/2)
E7 Activity
E65 Creation
E12 Production
(of conceptual things)
(of physical things)
F27 Work Conception
F28 Expression Creation
F32 Carrier Production Event
= Having the initial idea for a Work
= Simultaneously creating a new Expression and producing a unique carrier for that Expression
= Producing Items (copies of a publication)

20. From processes to products (2/2)
F32 Carrier Production Event
F27 Work Conception
F28 Expression Creation
R28 produced (was produced by)
F30 Publication Event
R16 initiated (was initiated by)
R17 created (was created by)
F1 Work
F2 Expression
F3 Manifestation Product Type
R24 created (was created through)
R7 is example of (has example)
R14 incorporates (is incorporated in)
F24 Publication Expression
R6 carries (is carried by)
F5 Item

21. Example: Calligraphy F22 Self-Contained Expression
R17 created (was created by)
F22 Self-Contained Expression
F28 Expression Creation
instance = also an instance of:
R14 incorporates (is incorporated in)
P14 carried out by (performed)
E33 Linguistic Object
E39 Actor
F22 Self-Contained Expression
(The author, emperor Qianlong 乾隆 )
R3 is realized in (realizes)
R14 incorporates (is incorporated in)
(The calligrapher, Wang Youdun 汪由敦 )
E39 Actor
F16 Container Work
F22 Self-Contained Expression
R17 created (was created by)
P14 carried out by (performed)
instance = also an instance of:
F28 Expression Creation
E38 Image

22. How FRBROO can be used FRBROO can be used:
to store bibliographic information in the form of RDF triples available for Semantic Web applications
to integrate bibliographic information in mediation systems, where it can be used along other information sources

23. Some people who expressed their interest for FRBROO:
The European project CASPAR (Cultural, Artistic and Scientific knowledge for Preservation, Access and Retrieval):
The Perseus Digital Library, e.g.
The TEI Ontologies Special Interest Group:
ArcheoInf (Informationzsentrum für die Archäologie):
etc. (e.g.

24. III. By way of conclusion

25. Cultural biases in conceptual modeling?
CIDOC CRM and FRBROO are introduced as “universal” conceptual models
However, they are just another Western product: how do they fit Asian conceptions?
Is the notion of “Work” as defined in FRBROO satisfying according to Chinese thought?
Is such a conceptualization as FRBROO acceptable in non-Western environments?