Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) is a conceptual model of the bibliographic universe.  FRBR describes resources as being a work, expression, manifestation or item.  The FRBR model is important for cataloguing because it was developed with the end user in mind.

FRBR provides a specialised vocabulary to aid cataloguers in providing bibliographic records that allow users to discover and then access resources they require.  The four FRBR tasks of finding, identifying, selecting and obtaining describe the way a user searches for and ultimately retrieves a resource from a library.  By using metadata (data about data) supplied by cataloguers, library catalogues can be organised, manipulated and effectively searched for resources.

FIND

Library catalogues are designed to help users acquire resources.  Metadata is entered into catalogue records to assist users find the resource they need.  Some metadata is more relevant for the Find process (e.g. titles and authors) than others (e.g. number of pages).  Users will conduct searches based on what they know and what they are looking for.  Cataloguers assist this process by providing records that have sufficient metadata included to enable resources to be found.

IDENTIFY

Once resources have been retrieved through the Find process, the library user will want to narrow their search further and distinguish between resources in order to discover something that meets the needs they have identified.  In order to do this they may filter the results further and use another element to refine their search.

SELECT

Once the library user has focused the search down and created a narrower, but more specific list of possible resources, they then need to evaluate and determine which resource/s are most suitable for their needs.  They will do this by accepting or rejecting the resources selected for them.  To assist this process they can restrict results further, by filtering again, or if minimal results are identified, by looking at the information provided on each resource.

OBTAIN

Once the resource has been narrowed down to one the user wishes to use he/she has to Obtain it.  Accessing resources is a library’s end goal.  The resources are there to be used and by providing clear information in the catalogue record on how the resource can be accessed (e.g. by providing a Dewey call number), the user, can actually acquire the resource, borrow it (if required) and use it.

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References:

Hider, P. (2018) Information Resource Description: Creating and managing metadata. Facet Publishing