Comments on the BIBFRAME 2.0 Draft Specifications

From the CONSER BIBFRAME Task Group

January 29, 2016

Titles:

  • Suggestion:Please consider addingbf:VariantTitleProper as a subclass of bf:Title. This new subclass, with an associated date property, will allow catalogers to distinguish between changes to the title proper on the preferred source of information from variant titles that appear on different sources of information. This new subclass can be used to cover (with dates) both earlier and later titles proper.
  • Suggestion:Please consider makingbf:date a property of bf:Title (not bf:VariantTitle), so dates can be used for other types of titles, not just variant titles.
  • We support adding bf2:ParallelTitle as a subclass of VariantTitle. Because RDA distinguishes between variant titles and parallel titles as separate elements, we need ways to distinguish between them in BIBFRAME.
  • There is an typo onp. 3 (1st table): should be "bf:subtitle" not "bf:subTitle".

Items:

  • Why combine different kinds of data in bf:UsageAndAccessCondition? Is it intended to be used for the following three BF1.0 properties: lendingPolicy, reproductionPolicy, retentionPolicy?
  • Suggestion: Please consider separating enumeration and chronology as separate properties. This would serve the purpose of making data atomic when possible.
  • An example demonstrating the usage of bf:enumerationAndChronology (if it is to remain a combined property), would be helpful, especially for more complicated types of ennumeration schemes (e.g. unnumbered supplements, etc.). The complicated types of enumeration are not uncommon for continuing resources and such an example would be useful in applying bf:enumerationAndChronology.
  • We believe there are errors in examples:
  • Item 2 as a component of Item 1 should belong to the same instance which is “instance0” not “instance1”.
  • Item 3 as a component of Item 1 should belong to the same instance which is “instance0” not “instance2”.
  • Item 4 as a component of Item 1 should belong to the same instance which is “instance0” not “instance3".

Identifiers:

  • Suggestion: Please also consider creating a subclass for linking ISSN (issnL) as a sub-class of bf:Identifier

Notes:

  • We are interested in continuing-resources-related note types that are included in the vocabulary to be posted at As a community, we would like to know more about the process for developing this vocabulary, and whether there will be opportunities for our involvement.
  • There is an error at the bottom of p. 2 under "BIBFRAME Notes - 1.0 Approach": the second sentence should read "The note [not identifier] type and string are conveyed as in this example."

Series:

  • Though not included in an official LC proposal, we have noticed series classes/properties included in BIBFRAME 2.0. Would it be possible to get more information on how series are modeled in BF2.0?