Future of the GMD

Can it be improved?

Are there other ways to fulfill its function?

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Workshop Plan

     background what is causing a re-evaluation of the GMD?

   Logical structure of AACR new 0.24

FRBR brief glance at proposed outline for AACR3 some ideas in the cataloguing community ideas from you  discussion Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

GMD



general material designation

  term indicating broad class of material term first used in ISBDs in 1977  term adopted by AACR2 

optional

 different practices within AACR community Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR1

 designations in parentheses Chap. 12. Motion pictures and filmstrips Shoe-shine (Motion picture) Lighthouses (Filmstrip) transcription of title + designation this is not a “uniform title”   very limited use other non-book resources: no designations Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR2

 general material designations + specific material designations  title proper + [GMD]  broad range of terms covering different contents and different carriers  optional Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR2

 Intent when developing list of GMDs: “generic list of media designations that would minimize the disruption to library catalogues. This meant that the list of terms would be practical rather than theoretical or philosophical” Jean Weihs, A somewhat personal history of nonbook cataloguing. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 31:3/4, 2001, p. 177.

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Function of the GMD

 developed in the era of the card catalogue:      informs the user about the type of material gives “early warning” because of its placement in the title area not intended as a limit or as a search term uses controlled vocabulary: LIST 1 or LIST 2 differentiates between resources with identical or similar titles Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Use of GMDs

In the card catalogue:   identification differentiation (to select, obtain appropriate resource) OPAC  identification   differentiation (to select, obtain appropriate resource) controlled vocabulary search term Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Where are the problems?

   GMD evolved to answer a practical need  broadening of library resources to include non book dissatisfaction starts to appear as new media develop new demands on cataloguing rules logical analysis + new theoretical frameworks questions about GMDs Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Winds of change

  re-examination of AACR  1997 International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR development of analytical models  Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records  analyzes bibliographic records  Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules  analyzes the cataloguing rules that produce the description part of bibliographic records Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

1997 International Conference

1997 International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR    content vs carrier issue need to be able to describe new media as they develop, deal with new forms of publishing, etc.

impact of electronic resources   identify principles and structures underlying AACR revise rule 0.24

(among many other outcomes)

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure of AACR

Tom Delsey’s logical analysis of AACR points out inconsistencies, problem areas, obstacles.

 “class of materials” ≠ physical carrier (perspective: structure of rules in Part 1 and how to deal with new media, new forms of expression)   physical carrier only defines 5 of the classes of materials represented by chapters in Part 1 mixture of chapters in Part 1 for content, form of expression and physical carrier Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure of AACR

Class of materials analyzed: content cartographic materials graphic materials three-dimensional artefacts and realia form of expression music physical carrier sound recordings motion pictures videorecordings microforms computer files/electronic resources Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure of AACR

GMDs inform user about the broad class of material content realia cartographic material form of expression music (expressed in musical notation) physical carrier filmstrip slide videorecording Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure of AACR

 questions raised:  “if certain classes are defined on the basis of the form of the physical carrier and others are determined on the basis of the type of content or the intellectual form in which the content is expressed, how is a determination to be made as to which criterion takes precedence in classing new forms of material?”   boundaries between classes: are they precise enough, comprehensive enough?

if a resource belongs to more than one class?

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure of AACR

Constituent entities or elements of the “document” analyzed:     content

set as

infixion

stored on

physical carrier

housed in

container intellectual or artistic substance formatting of content physical medium physically separable housing significance of both content and physical carrier information Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

New 0.24

 change AACR rule 0.24 radical impact on organization of Part 1

FROM

primacy of the one class of material to which the resource belongs starting point = physical form of the resource in hand

TO

bring out all aspects of the resource being described Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impact of new 0.24

assumption in old 0.24

class/type of materials = physical form with new  0.24: does the current structure of the rules in Part 1 make any sense? Part 1 of AACR2 = mixture of chapters for form of content, form of expression and physical carriers Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impact of new 0.24

3 form of content chapters cartographic materials graphic materials three-dimensional artefacts and realia 1 form of expression chapter music 4 physical carrier chapters sound recordings motion pictures and videorecordings electronic resources microforms Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impact of new 0.24

 if all relevant aspects are to be described, what does one do about the GMD?

(ISBD community also studying) some suggestions to combine GMDs:    GMD (qualifier) does this work with current lists of terms?

does it only work if GMD = content/expression and qualifier = carrier compound GMDs GMD 1 + GMD 2 Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

FRBR :

final report of IFLA Study Group  the report had 2 purposes: 1. to provide a clearly defined, structured framework for relating the data that are recorded in bibliographic records to the needs of the users of those records 2. to recommend a basic level of functionality for records created by national bibliographic agencies (FRBR 1.1)  report describes an entity-relationship model resulting from an analysis of the data in bibliographic records Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

User needs

    Find Identify Select Obtain  Navigate Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

FRBR model

 entities ● in bibliographic records ● important to the user ● divided into 3 groups  attributes of the entities  relationships between the entities Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Group 1 entities

products of intellectual or artistic endeavour • work • expression • manifestation • item Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Group 1 entities:

work

is realized through

expression

FRBR 3.1.1

is embodied in

manifestation

is exemplified by

item Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Example

w = idea for the Robinson Crusoe story (in Defoe’s head)

is realized through

e = original English text as he wrote it

is embodied in

m = London, printed for W. Taylor, 1719

is exemplified by

i = copy owned by Yale Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Attributes of Group 1 entities:

work: title, form or genre, date, medium of performance, coordinates (map) … expression: score … title of the expression, form of the expression, language of the expression, type of manifestation: title of the manifestation, publisher, date of publication, form of carrier, dimensions, terms of availability… item: identifier (e.g. location and call no., barcode), provenance, condition, inscriptions … Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Entities in Groups 2 and 3

 Group 2 entities: those responsible for creating, producing, etc., the entities in group 1 • person • corporate body 

+

Group 3 entities: subjects of works • concept • object • event • place

all group 1 and 2 entities can also be subjects

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Relationships

   links between entities (and the nature of the links) collocation assist the user to navigate through the catalogue or database relationships between entities of the same group (esp. between group 1 entities) relationships between entities of the different groups Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Example of a “family” or hierarchy of Group 1 entities:

work expression manifestation item Hamlet # original text • London, 1603 RBD • New York, 1998 MCL BIRK # French trans.

# (Gide) # (Bonnefoy) • Paris, 1946 • Neuchatel, 1949 • Paris, 1978 EDUC MCL MACD # German trans. • Hamburg, 1834 MUSIC # audio-book • Paris, 1983 REDP Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Example of work to work relationships

Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616. Hamlet .

subject

Modern Hamlets & their soliloquies

Critical responses to Hamlet, 1600-1900

imitation

Hamlet travestie

transformation

Hamlet : opéra en cinq actes

musique de Ambroise Thomas; paroles de Michel Carré et Jules Barbier

adaptation

Hamlet : the young reader's Shakespeare :

a retelling / by Adam McKeown Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

User-friendly OPAC display

ti = Robinson Crusoe results should clearly show: • the work vs related works • indicate nature of relationship between the different expressions of the work

original text, French translation, audio-book

• cluster manifestations that are the same expression • sort by different physical carriers Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impact of FRBR

 improve navigation   focus on collocation reintroduce logical indexing vs. purely mechanical filing  appropriate level of specificity needed by user:  ability to stay at general level to complete user tasks, or to bore down to specific expressions, manifestations, including down to the appropriate physical carrier Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impact of FRBR

 identification of group 1 entities and their attributes expression-level: form e.g. musical notation photographic image language  manifestation-level: form of carrier e.g. filmstrip extent of carrier model puts some longstanding problems in perspective e.g. content vs. carrier (or format variation)  different but how different : where is carrier in the hierarchy?

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

FRBR and Logical Structure:

2 entity-relationship analytical models

bib record work (FRBR) document (Log.St.) content expression infixion manifestation physical carrier container item Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure vs FRBR

 Logical Structure: analysis of the rules that produce the description part of the bibliographic record  FRBR: analysis of the whole bibliographic record in the context of the database  Both models: pull out constituent entities, examine what has been taken as unreflected assumptions Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Logical Structure vs FRBR

 Logical Structure  identifies the problem  FRBR  gives us the tools to work on the problem  allows us to frame the question in a sound theoretical framework Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Some sources of pressure on GMD

new 0.24

Logical Structure of AACR GMD FRBR Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Post 1997 International Conference

 some of the key areas of work by JSC       basic principles content vs. carrier issue logical structure of AACR seriality internationalization incorporating FRBR terminology and concepts  JSC develops new strategic plan, which will culminate in AACR3 (2007) Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Relevant areas of change in AACR3

 reduce redundancy and revise for consistency across all chapters in Part I  rewrite introduction to include a statement of the principles of AACR, a description of the functions of the catalogue, and conceptual information to assist cataloguers in understanding the methods of procedure   incorporate FRBR concepts and terminology into AACR incorporate concept of authority control Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Relevant areas of change in AACR3

  incorporate expression-level collocation resolve problems associated with class of materials concept (content versus carrier issues, GMDs) some revision tasks affect almost every chapter e.g. incorporating FRBR terminology requires incorporating the concepts changes throughout AACR Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3: Resource Description and Access

    Introduction - General principles Part I - Description Part II - Choice of access points Part III – Form of access points

(this slide & following ones based on information from Barbara Tillett’s document: AACR3: Resource Description and Access, 2004)

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 – Part I (Proposal)

     Introduction General rules  by ISBD area with references forward to supplemental rules for specific content types Chapters for content  only supplemental rules, no references back to General chapter Chapters for medium/technical description  primarily area 5 with relevant physical description notes from area 7 Chapter(s) on mode of issuance  successively issued over time Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 – Part I (Proposal) Introduction

 Introduction to Part I  scope  structure of the description       organization of the rules focus for description application of general and supplementary rules resources in an unpublished form resources released successively or updated periodically options and omissions Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 – Part I (Proposal) General rules

 General rules for description   Preliminary rules Rules for each of the 8 ISBD areas:   Title and statement of responsibility Edition        Material specific details Publication, distribution, etc.

Technical description Series   Notes Standard numbers Supplementary resources Reproductions Analytics and multilevel descriptions Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 - Part I (Proposal) Content Chapters

        Text Music Cartographic content Graphic content Three-dimensional content Recorded sound Moving image content Data, software, & interactive content Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 - Part I (Proposal) Medium/Technical Description

        Print media Micrographic media Graphic media Tactile media Three-dimensional media Recorded sound media Moving image media Digital media Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 - Part I (Proposal) Modes of Issuance

 Successively issued or updated periodically  Build on information in Introduction   Base on “symptoms” More discussions with the Editor Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3 – Part II (Proposal)

 Choice of primary and secondary access points   Choosing headings for the description Resolve issues of authorship and problems with the “Rule of 3” Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

AACR3–Part III (Proposal)

 Form of access points  Current chapters 22-25 to incorporate authority control principles and rules on related references  remove chapter 26 on references  Chapter 25 (Uniform titles)  works and expressions  headings for Functions of work/expression citations, i.e., for identification, collocation, differentiation Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Tentative,working proposal for Part 1

 separation into content chapters and medium/technical description chapters  application of knowledge derived from the 2 analytical models  building on this proposal, the Task Force on the Consistency of Part 1, working with Tom Delsey, has created a variant prototype while examining area 5 rules in AACR3 Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Task Force/Delsey prototype

Section A. General Rules for Description Section B. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Content Section C. Supplementary Rules for Specific Forms of Carrier Section D. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Media Section E. Supplementary Rules for Resources Released Successively or Updated Periodically

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Section C. Supplementary Rules for Specific Forms of Carrier

C1. Books, Atlases, Albums, etc.

C2. Unbound Sheets, Broadsides, Posters, Wall Charts, etc.

C3. Photoprints, Postcards, Flash Cards, etc.

C4. Models, Globes, Sculptures, etc.

C5. Slides, Transparencies, Fiches, etc.

C6. Filmstrips, Filmslips, Roll Film, etc.

C7. Discs/Disks, Cylinders, etc.

C8. Reels, Cartridges, Cassettes, etc.

C9. Computer Chips, Optical Cards, etc.

C10. Remote Access Resources Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Section D. Supplementary Rules for Specific Types of Media

D1. Print and Opaque Graphic Media D2. Micrographic Media D3. Tactile Media D4. Three-dimensional Media D5. Recorded Sound Media D6. Projected Graphic and Cinemagraphic Media D7. Digital Media Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Summary of recent activity:

      new analytical models analysis of “document” into 4 constituent parts: content / infixion / carrier / container AACR’s class of materials = mixture of apples, oranges and bananas new AACR2 rule 0.24

FRBR’s Group 1 entities (wemi) initiatives to reorganize Part 1 of AACR Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Impetus to re-evaluate GMDs

      conceptual separation of content, media and physical carriers in the rules description of all aspects of a bibliographic resource work/expression/manifestation/item hierarchy and the importance of conveying information about relationships between entities improved collocation focus on user success rate with tasks: search, identify, select, obtain GMD/SMD relationship Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Use of GMDs (in OPACs)

   identification  “early warning” differentiation  to select, obtain appropriate resource controlled vocabulary search term  if indexed, can be used to refine search functions of GMD are still relevant FRBR user tasks: search, identify select, obtain Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

3 questions facing the AACR community:

1) is there another way to communicate the information to the user?

2) if one retains the GMD, could it be placed elsewhere?

3) can we improve the list of terms used as GMDs?

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

1) is there another way to communicate the information?

 term or device?

 icon see OCLC’s WorldCat  public display label or term generated through a table from terms in the bibliographic record for content, expression and/or manifestation.

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

1) is there another way to communicate the information?

 icon or label generated from terms in record  2 lists of terms used in the record, one for mode of expression and one for form of content, or 3 lists with medium/carrier terms  a display term or icon showing to the user, generated from a table or matrix using terms from the lists e.g. content: cartographic material expression: still image digital map carrier: digital media Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

2) if one retains the GMD, could it be placed elsewhere?

 current placement in the middle of the title and statement of responsibility area “intrudes into the middle of the transcription of the title and statement of responsibility area”

B. Tillett. 4JSC/Chair/73

Even more intrusive when language of the title differs from the language of the catalogue.

  area 3 for all types of resources area 0, preceding the bibliographic description Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

3) can we improve the list of terms used as GMDs?

 single terms   same level of generality mutually exclusive  compound terms    GMD (qualifier) compound term GMD1 + GMD2 Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Surveys about GMDs

Before the revision of 0.24 (2001 amendments) : Jean Weihs’ survey: General material designations in the twenty-first century (2000/01)     GMD with qualifier: most favoured table of precedence for choice of GMD compound term some users wanted very specific GMDs (actually wanted SMD-type terms in GMD position) Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Surveys about GMDs

Post revision of 0.24, FRBR: Cataloguing Code Comparison for the IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code (July 2003). Surveyed use of GMDs and terms used (European)     if used, GMDs used for non-book some suggest using other areas (area 0 or 3) lists tend to be more similar to List 1 than 2 criticism of GMD terms that confuse content, expression and physical manifestation Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

GMD = form of expression

growing momentum to align the list of GMDs to terms for the form or mode of expression IFLA 1 st and 2 nd Meetings of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code GMD ● use at the expression level ● designations pertaining to the form or mode of expression Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

GMD/SMD

 GMDs should reflect: content not carrier  physical medium and carrier information should shift to the SMDs and/or notes  clear delineation between GMDs and SMDs  reference to a theoretical framework  if use FRBR entity “expression” to define scope of GMD, then clear delineation should naturally follow Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

Summary of questions

 is the GMD the best way to communicate information?

 could the GMD or GMD-type information be placed elsewhere in the bib. record?

 can we improve the list of terms?

in context of AACR goal: continuity + constantly evolving Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

References and Links

AACR3 : Resource Description and Access

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs/aacr3pptslides.pdf

FRBR:

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.htm

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/frbr/frbr.pdf

FRBR Working Group:

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/wgfrbr.htm

Bibliography at FRBR WG site:

http://www.ifla.org/VII/s13/wgfrbr/bibliography.rtf

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

References and Links

Cataloguing Code Comparison for the IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code, July 2003.

http://www.ddb.de/news/pdf/code_comp_2003_europe_6_g md.pdf

International Cataloguing Principles (draft)

http://www.ddb.de/news/pdf/statement_draft.pdf

Library of Congress display tool:

http://www.loc.gov/marc/marc-functional-analysis/tool.html

Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules:

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs.html#logical Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004

References and Links

Tillett, Barbara. General Material Designations : [discussion paper for the Joint Steering Committee for the Revision of AACR]. 4JSC/Chair/73, May 8, 2001.

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/jsc/docs/gmd.pdf

Weihs, Jean. A somewhat personal history of nonbook cataloguing. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 31:3/4, 2001, p. 159-188.

Weihs, Jean. General Material Designations in the twenty-first century : results of a survey. http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/units/cts/olac/capc/gmd.doc

Chris Oliver, McGill University OLAC 2004