The Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) model in library catalogs

A literature review

Abstract

This article discusses the Bibliographic Framework (BIBFRAME) Model as a recent approach in developing bibliographic data representation methods and shifting from traditional methods toward Linked Data-based models. The study adopts a literature review approach to survey Arabic and international scholarly literature on BIBFRAME and Linked Data and analyzes research and practical trends related to its origins, development, and relationship with Linked Data and the Semantic Web, as well as its major areas of application in library catalogs and bibliographic projects. The review focuses on the issues and challenges associated with its implementation, particularly the transition from representing bibliographic data using the MARC 21 standard to modeling and representing it according to the BIBFRAME model, as well as linking it to external data sources available on the Web. The study reached several conclusions, most notably that, despite the library community’s growing interest in the BIBFRAME initiative, no Arabic-language study has addressed its application to Arabic library catalogs.