BIBFRAME Interoperability Group: Tackling Implementation Challenges Across Institutions
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Date
2025-03-19
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Publisher
International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
Abstract
The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) Advisory Committee on Standards hosted a symposium on metadata, with the theme “Metadata Standards Matter: Building a Sustainable Future for Information” at the National Library of Greece, Athens, on 19 March 2025.
As libraries and cultural heritage institutions move toward adopting BIBFRAME (Bibliographic Framework Initiative), achieving interoperability between different implementations has become a critical challenge. BIBFRAME aims to modernize bibliographic data by following Linked Data principles, which enable richer connections between data and allow for more flexible sharing across systems. However, for BIBFRAME to work effectively in diverse environments, there needs to be greater consistency in its application. Without this consistency, data exchange, integration, and discoverability can become difficult.
To address these challenges, the BIBFRAME Interoperability Group (BIG) was formed in June 2022 by the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC). BIG consists of thirteen organizations including national libraries, OCLC, Share-VDE, and academic libraries. The primary goals of the BIG are to develop guidelines to ensure BIBFRAME data can be shared consistently and accurately across systems, as well as to create the tools and infrastructure needed for large-scale adoption.
In 2024, BIG focuses on three key initiatives:
Tabular Application Profiles: Developing standardized “interlingua” profiles for monographs and serials to harmonize BIBFRAME data representation across various systems.
Validation Tools: Enhancing tools like DCTap (Dublin Core Application Profile) and SHACL (Shapes Constraint Language) to ensure data consistency and structural integrity.
Data Exchange Tests: Conducting real-world test projects to evaluate and refine profiles and tools.
This presentation will introduce BIG’s mission, governance, and progress to date, with a particular focus on the areas mentioned above. Presenters will explore how the development of application profiles, validation tools, and test projects is advancing BIBFRAME interoperability. They will also discuss the broader impact of BIG’s work on the library community and share insights on future directions.
The work of BIG is laying the foundation for a more flexible, interoperable bibliographic ecosystem—one that can meet the evolving needs of today’s information landscape. We look forward to sharing our progress at the symposium.
Description
Keywords
Metadata, Interoperability, Cataloguing standards