RDA Cataloger Training
Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) Training Exercises
Presented by Andrea M. Morrison
amorriso [at] Indiana.edu
March 11, 2013
When cataloging a monograph, catalogers will need to identify FRBR Group 1 entities
Work, Expression, Manifestation and Item (WEMI) in order to correctly identify the
RDA instructions to consult. Catalogers will also need to identify FRBR attributes of these
entities. RDA gives different instructions for an attribute such as “title” depending on
whether the attribute refers to a work, expression, or manifestation. For example, the
instruction on recording the preferred title of a work is in RDA 6.2l, but the instruction for
recording title of a manifestation is in RDA 2.3.
In these sample bibliographic records, which include selected fields only, identify which
specific FRBR WEMI entity corresponds with each MARC21 bibliographic element
(subfields). Does the MARC21 subfield or field as a whole refer to an abstract entity (work
or expression) or a manifestation (physical embodiment) of the work? Follow the example
of the expression record, which we will review together in training. Notice that any one
MARC field may contain subfields that have a relationship to different entities, e.g. 240 $a=
work; $l=expression.
To note your analysis, write W, E or M next to the MARC field or subfield. We’ll go over
your answers in training as time permits. Look at all the sample records, completing the
exercises outside training, as needed.
Consult the partial list of attributes and RDA core elements for works, expressions and
manifestations to help you identify the FRBR entities. This list is from the RDA instructions
0.6.2-0.6.3 and is useful for print monographs. The full list of FRBR attributes and RDA
core elements is given in RDA 0.6.2-0.6.9. We will work more with FRAD entities (persons,
families, and corporate bodies) in a later part of training.
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Example: Expression Record for a translation, from Training Examples for RDA at the
Library of Congress, Books,
041 1#
100 1#
240 10
245 14
$a eng $h por
[expression]
$a Coelho, Paulo, $e author.
[person responsible for the creation of the work]
$a Alquimista. $l English
[$a= work $l=expression]
$a The alchemist / $c Paul Coelho ; translated by Alan R. Clarke.
[manifestation]
264 #1 $a [San Francisco] : $b HarperSanFrancisco, $c [1993?] [manifestation]
264 #4 $c ©1993. [manifestation]
300 ## $a 177 pages ; $c 21 cm
[manifestation]
336 ## $a text $2 rdacontent
[expression]
337 ## $a unmediated $2 rdamedia
[manifestation]
338 ## $a volume $2 rdacarrier
[manifestation]
500 ## $a Translation of the author’s Alquimista. [expression]
700 1# $a Clarke, Alan $q (Alan R.), $e translator. [person contributing to the
realization of a work through an expression]
Partial List of FRBR attributes and RDA core elements (from RDA 0.6.2-0.6.3)
These are entity attributes only—RDA also gives relationship attributes.
Attributes of Manifestation (typical book) with RDA Core Elements
Title
Title Proper
Statement of Responsibility
Statement of responsibility relating to title proper (if more than one, only the first recorded is
required)
Edition statement
Designation of edition
Designation of a named revision of an edition
Production statement
Date of production (for a resource in an unpublished form) includes theses
Publication statement
Place of publication (if more than one, only the first recorded is required)
Publisher's name (if more than one, only the first recorded is required)
Date of publication
Distribution statement
Place of distribution (for a published resource, if place of publication not identified; if more than
one, only the first recorded is required)
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Distributor's name (for a published resource, if publisher not identified; if more than one, only the
first recorded is required)
Date of distribution (for a published resource, if date of publication not identified)
Manufacture statement
Place of manufacture (for a published resource, if neither place of publication nor place of
distribution identified; if more than one, only the first recorded is required)
Manufacturer's name (for a published resource, if neither publisher nor distributor identified; if
more than one, only the first recorded is required)
Date of manufacture (for a published resource, if neither date of publication, date of distribution,
nor copyright date identified)
Copyright date
Copyright date (if neither date of publication nor date of distribution identified)
Series statement
Title proper of series
Numbering within series
Title proper of subseries
Numbering within subseries
Identifier for the manifestation
Identifier for the manifestation (if more than one, prefer an internationally recognized identifier if
applicable, e.g. International Standard Book Number, ISBN)
Carrier type
Carrier type (e.g., ‘volume’ or ‘sheet’ for a print monograph)
Extent
Extent (only if the resource is complete or if the total extent is known)
Attributes of Work and Expression with RDA Core Elements
Attributes of Works (an abstract idea; in practice, an access point on a bibliographic
record)
Preferred title for the work [think uniform title]
Form of work
Date of work
Place of origin of the work
Other distinguishing characteristic of the work (characteristic other than form of work, date of
work, or place of origin of the work that serves to differentiate a work from another work)
Attributes of expression (an abstract idea; in practice, an access point on a bibliographic
record)
Content type
Language of expression
Date of expression
Other distinguishing characteristic of the expression (characteristic other than content type,
language of expression, or date of expression that serves to differentiate an expression from
another expression of the same work)
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1. Record no. 1 (These are sample records with selected fields only)
2. Record no. 2.
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3. Record no. 3. In this record, the 700 fields express a relationship from this manifestation
to other entities. Can you identify the data referring to other entities?
4. Record no. 4
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5. Record no. 5
6. Record no. 6
am 3/7/2013
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