A Strange Model Named FRBROO

Libraries and museums developed rules for the description of their collections prior to formalizing the conceptualization reflected in such rules. That formalizing process resulted in two conceptual models: Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) for bibliographic information (published in 1998), and CIDOC (International Council of Museums, Comité international pour la Documentation) CRM (Conceptual Reference Model) for museum information (issued as ISO standard 21127 in 2006). An international working group was formed in 2003 with the purpose of harmonizing these two models. The resulting model, FRBR_OO, is an extension to CIDOC CRM. It adds to FRBR the dynamic aspects of CIDOC CRM, and a number of refinements. FRBR_OO lends itself well to the linked data environment.