Ex Libris Increases Library Connectivity with Implementation of BIBFRAME Roadmap

JERUSALEM, May 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Ex Libris^®, a ProQuest company, is pleased to announce that it is carrying out its BIBFRAME roadmap, designed to enable institutions to gradually implement BIBFRAME with minimal disruption to their workflows. Using BIBFRAME, libraries of the future will be able to seamlessly connect with the wider world of information while providing their users with an enhanced view of bibliographic information and library collections.

The Bibliographic Framework Initiative, or BIBFRAME, provides a foundation for bibliographic description that supports the wide range of metadata available on the Internet and in print, electronic, and digital catalogs. BIBFRAME allows those outside the library to easily use library data and at the same time enables libraries to enrich their own records with external data through linked data standards.

The MARC-to-BIBFRAME transformation is the first step of the Ex Libris BIBFRAME roadmap, which includes the following features:

• MARC-to-BIBFRAME transformation
• The publication of sets in BIBFRAME format
• Support for BIBFRAME URIs

The culmination of the roadmap will be new technical services (cataloging) in native BIBFRAME. Institutions will be able to move gradually to BIBFRAME, scaling up by department or group and smoothly migrating existing workflows. Libraries will be able to enjoy the full functionality of the Ex Libris Alma^® library services platform with metadata in the MARC, Dublin Core, and BIBFRAME formats.

Ex Libris work on the BIBFRAME roadmap owes a great deal to the active Ex Libris community. The ELUNA/IGeLU Linked Open Data Special Interest Working Group was instrumental in laying the foundation for linked data in Ex Libris products. In addition, Ex Libris RDF-based linked data support was implemented in 2016 thanks to feedback from participating institutions in the 2016 Linked Data Collaboration Program.

The first step of the planned BIBFRAME roadmap, the Alma MARC-to-BIBFRAME transformation, will be implemented in close cooperation with Harvard Library. Elizabeth Kirk, associate university librarian for scholarly resources at Harvard Library, explained: "Harvard Library looks forward to implementing BIBFRAME as part of our mission to advance scholarship and teaching through the creation, application, preservation, and dissemination of knowledge. We are enthusiastic about continuing to explore ways of connecting library users with the knowledge they need."

Shlomo Sanders, chief technology officer at Ex Libris, added, "We are excited to be collaborating with Harvard Library and our user community to help libraries stay connected to the world of knowledge as that world grows increasingly complex. The BIBFRAME transformation will increase library flexibility and connectivity while keeping library records current and relevant."

About the Bibliographic Framework Initiative (BIBFRAME)
Initiated by the Library of Congress, BIBFRAME provides a foundation for the future of bibliographic description, both on the web and in the broader networked world that is grounded in Linked Data techniques. A major focus of the initiative is to determine a transition path for the MARC 21 formats while preserving a robust data exchange that has supported resource sharing and cataloging cost savings in recent decades.

About Harvard Library
Harvard Library is a world-class academic library, an unparalleled resource for learning and research. Engaging users through curated discovery, digital collections, reimagined physical space, and specialized research support, Harvard Library delivers exceptional experiences to its user communities. Serving as an information hub, the Library connects users to related disciplines and to University-wide teaching resources. Today, Harvard Library's holdings range from traditional print collections to a rapidly expanding inventory of digital resources. It is the work of Harvard Library to provide the University's faculty, students, and researchers—now and in the future—with comprehensive access to these materials. For more information, visit @HarvardLibrary or library.harvard.edu.

About Ex Libris
Ex Libris, a ProQuest company, is a leading global provider of cloud-based solutions for higher education. Offering SaaS solutions for the management and discovery of the full spectrum of library and scholarly materials, as well as mobile campus solutions driving student engagement and success, Ex Libris serves thousands of customers in 90 countries. For more information about Ex Libris, see our website, and join us on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter. 

SOURCE Ex Libris

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