Abstract:
The rapid exchange of bibliographic information and access to information resources in the international network is now possible thanks to the universal language of standards, which cataloguers „talk“ and „write“ in the current global information space. For nearly four decades International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD) created by IFLA has been the basis for creating standardized bibliographic records of published resources, a tool for universal bibliographic control and universal user access to the publications in the modern world.
Since 1971, when the first International Standard Bibliographic Description for Monographic Publications was created, ISBD has been undergoing significant development up to now, the last stage being „ISBD: International standard bibliographic description: Consolidated edition“ approved by the Standing Committee of the IFLA Cataloguing Section. In 2011 it was translated into Bulgarian by Alexandra Dipchikova and in 2012 it is expected to be published by the Bulgarian Library and Information Association (BLIA).
The idea of ISBD Consolidated edition is to develop a general framework for the identification and description of existing resources that modern libraries work with in one standard and to establish common principles for cataloguing within the whole international library and information community in order to aid the international exchange of bibliographic records between national bibliographic agencies and throughout the international library and information community (including producers and publishers).
Important changes have been introduced: structural and terminological.
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A new area „0“, called „Content Form and Media Type Area“ to identify resources in more than one format is introduced. It is considered necessary at the very beginning to indicate both the main form (forms) where the contents of the resource is expressed in and type (s) of the means used to transmit the contents. The Main Entry Field is deleted. The terminology used in the standard is in compliance with the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and IFLA Cataloguing Principles, etc. ISBD is applied to describe manifestations. A bibliographic description typically should be based on the item as representative of the manifestation.
The objective pursued by the author of this article is based on the analysis of ISBD Consolidated Edition, to assess the possibilities for its introduction in Bulgaria and identify the difficulties the professional community will faced. The following issues can be identified for discussion:
- replacement of the existing national standards for cataloguing with ISBD Consolidated Edition ;
- development of new national cataloguing rules;
- strategy of the National Bibliographic Agency in relation to the existing electronic catalogues: conversion or creation of new databases;
- exchange of bibliographic records between the libraries in the country;
- „Guidelines for the Application of the ISBDs to the Description of Component Part“ – an assessment with regard to its use by compilers of bibliographies and users;
- staff training for work with ISBD Consolidated Edition;
- funding necessary for implementation of ISBD Consolidated Edition. All these points under discussion are extremely important. The Bulgarian library community should face them if it does
