NASIG 2024

BIBFRAME at the Doorstep
Program Description:
Lehigh University Libraries adopted the Open Source LSP, FOLIO, in August of 2020. While FOLIO was conceived to be “format agnostic”, the MARC format, in conjunction with a “FOLIO” format have been the main carriers of bibliographic information so far. Since the Library of Congress’ decision to migrate to FOLIO was made in 2022, software development for cataloging in BIBFRAME within the FOLIO environment has sped up tremendously. In fact, by the Spring of 2024 the Library of Congress’ BIBFRAME editor, MARVA, will be released in alpha as part of FOLIO.
Now that this long-time theoretical model is becoming more of a reality at Lehigh University, the need for a deeper and pragmatic understanding of BIBFRAME is necessary. Before creating a roadmap for transitioning to BIBFRAME we first need to learn where we want to go and if we want to go there: Will BIBFRAME contribute to our institutional goals and if so how? What benefits could the BIBFRAME model bring to our libraries and the people we serve? If it is what we want, what is the minimum criteria we need to see from a BIBFRAME community for a successful adoption? Finally, even if we do not have those minimum criteria at the moment, what can we do with our data now that will be immediately beneficial to our users but also serve for an easier possible conversion in the future?
This presentation is an opportunity to share with the library community these early considerations that we at Lehigh University are fortunate to have the opportunity to face closely and investigate. The information in the presentation will be informed by experience working with the FOLIO community as subject matter experts in FOLIO’s development and hands-on testing of the MARVA editor in FOLIO. Interviews and discussions with members of the LD4P community as well as readings and webcast viewings have been valuable sources of information and will continue to be. Finally, Lehigh started a year-long pilot with Share-VDE. Our involvement with the SHARE-VDE community and their BIBFRAME catalog will give insight into how our current MARC data works in a BIBFRAME environment that will, among other lessons, help us prepare our MARC records for conversion.
Learning Outcomes
See how a mid-sized academic library defines the pros and cons of BIBFRAME adoption at this point and time in BIBFRAME's early stages of life.
Leave with a more concrete vision of how it looks to catalog in BIBFRAME so attendees can begin with us to see what "cataloging life" beyond MARC is like.
Be given examples of ways current MARC data can be cleaned to the benefit of our users now and facilitate possible future BIBFRAME conversion.

Library Barbie and the Real World
Program Description:
​​​​The Barbie movie has a lot to say about the Real World vs. the alternate reality of Barbieland. We also encounter the concept of “the real world” continually in daily information. What do references to "the real world" and "real world objects" mean in a library context? This presentation was partly inspired what one critic wrote: “But what exactly is Barbie going to do in our real world… and what will that mean for all of us?”  The presentation will explore the question: "What is linked data going to do for us in the real world and what does that mean for all of us?"
What do Barbieland and many library catalogs have in common? They are closed systems, representing an artificial reality. This presentation will explore how linked data is enabling libraries to bring the “real world” to researchers and other library patrons not only through BIBFRAME and similar systems that are getting much-deserved attention at present but also how MARC records can be enriched to provide many such capabilities. This is important today because the transition away from MARC is likely to take quite a few years in order to be complete.
The presentation will briefly explore the concept of “real world object” as used in many MARC 21 fields to provide linked data potential. The conflicting interpretations (MARC, PCC, BIBFAME) of subfields $0 and $1 and how they are is to be used in MARC records will be discussed and audience input will be sought but otherwise the presentation will be non-technical. The main focus will be on illustrating the potential of both MARC and non-MARC systems to facilitate "real world" discovery.  For instance, the ISSN Portal is a MARC-based catalog enriched by linked data techniques. BIBFRAME (BF) and BF-based examples such as the Share-VDE and its Parsifal node will be illustrated to show varied implementations of linked data concepts. Yale University’s LUX: Yale Collections Discovery is a closed, linked data system that is based on neither BIBFRAME nor MARC. LUX illustrates a unique approach to provide linked data discovery of a multitude of literal real-world objects in Yale’s museums, archives, and libraries. Audience discussion will follow these illustrations, prompted by questions about the role of library catalogs in discovery, open vs. closed systems, linked data’s real-world potential and any lessons from Barbie and her world that can be applied to libraries.
Learning Outcomes:
​​​​Learning goals and take-aways include the importance of thinking about catalogs and discovery systems in terms of whether they are closed or open environments; as cohesive environments rather than collections of individual records; understanding how MARC can be enhanced by linked data; awareness of the debate about “real world objects” in MARC; and viewing real-life examples of linked data’s use in both MARC and non-MARC systems to open up the library discovery experience. The presentation should be of interest both to catalogers, reference librarians and those interested in cataloging and discovery systems.