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

2. I. Background

3. 3 1990s: 2 simultaneous processes 1991-1997 IFLA Development of a conceptual model for bibliographic information: FRBR 1996  ICOM CIDOC Development of a conceptual model for museum information: CIDOC CRM

4. 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: http://www.ifla.org/files/cataloguing/frbr/frbr-zh.pdf

5. 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. 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. 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. 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 FRBR OO version 1.0

9. 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 Item Manifestation Expression Work is realized through is embodied in is exemplified by

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

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

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

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

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

15. II. How to read, understand, and use FRBR OO http://www.cidoc- crm.org/frbr_drafts.html

16. 16 The ingredients of FRBR OO 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. 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. 18 Sharper definitions than in FRBR FRBR ER : 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? FRBR OO : 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. 19 From processes to products (1/2) E7 Activity E65 CreationE12 Production F27 Work Conception F28 Expression Creation F32 Carrier Production Event (of conceptual things) (of physical things) = 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. 20 From processes to products (2/2) F27 Work Conception F28 Expression Creation F32 Carrier Production Event F30 Publication Event F1 WorkF2 Expression F24 Publication Expression F3 Manifestation Product Type F5 Item R16 initiated (was initiated by) R17 created (was created by) R24 created (was created through) R28 produced (was produced by) R7 is example of (has example) R6 carries (is carried by) R14 incorporates (is incorporated in)

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

22. 22 How FRBR OO can be used FRBR OO 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. 23 Some people who expressed their interest for FRBR OO : The European project CASPAR (Cultural, Artistic and Scientific knowledge for Preservation, Access and Retrieval): http://www.icsrim.org.uk/casparhttp://www.icsrim.org.uk/caspar The Perseus Digital Library, e.g. http://www.fragmentarytexts.org/wp- content/uploads/2009/11/Fragmentary-texts- Ontologies.pdf http://www.fragmentarytexts.org/wp- content/uploads/2009/11/Fragmentary-texts- Ontologies.pdf The TEI Ontologies Special Interest Group: http://wiki.tei- c.org/index.php/SIG:Ontologieshttp://wiki.tei- c.org/index.php/SIG:Ontologies ArcheoInf (Informationzsentrum für die Archäologie): http://www.archeoinf.de/veranstaltungen/beiratstreffen- am-30102008/dokumentenrepositorium http://www.archeoinf.de/veranstaltungen/beiratstreffen- am-30102008/dokumentenrepositorium etc. (e.g. http://www.ifla.org/files/hq/papers/ifla76/93- forster-zh.pdf)http://www.ifla.org/files/hq/papers/ifla76/93- forster-zh.pdf

24. III. By way of conclusion

25. 25 Cultural biases in conceptual modeling? CIDOC CRM and FRBR OO 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 FRBR OO satisfying according to Chinese thought? –Is such a conceptualization as FRBR OO acceptable in non-Western environments?