Standards in Light of New Technologies: Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records

The Standing Committee of the IFLA Section on Cataloguing commissionned a study to define the functional requirements for bibliographic records. The study was based on the primary functions users perform while using bibilographic records and take into account all types of materials they may have interest in. The study was expected to make recommendations for the basic requirements for national bibliographic records. In this paper first it will review briefly the study group membership, the formal study charge, and study process. Then it will describe the scope and methodology used for the study as well as its conclusions and recommendations for a national bibliographic record. Next it will compare the recommendations to two standards, one standard being part of a current international cataloguing code and the other standards being an emerging, international standard that is evolving quickly in response to new electronic technologies. It will conclude with a discussion of some issues that the study group suggests might be the next logical steps flowing from this study.