FRBRLRM

FRBRLRM, short for Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records—Library Reference Model, is an IFLA framework that provides a unified conceptual model for describing bibliographic resources and the relationships among them across physical and digital formats. Developed as the successor to the FRBR family (FRBR, FRAD, FRSAD), the Library Reference Model seeks to improve resource discovery, metadata interoperability, and linkage in modern catalogs and knowledge graphs.

The model identifies a core set of entities, including Work, Expression, Manifestation, and Item, as well as agents (persons and corporate bodies), places, and events. It emphasizes the identity of resources and the relationships among their manifestations and representations, enabling tracking of editions, translations, formats, and digital surrogates. The LRM is designed to map to contemporary metadata schemas and to support linked-data implementations, with an emphasis on interoperability and global identifiers.

In relation to FRBR, FRAD, and FRSAD, the Library Reference Model consolidates and extends the FRBR family concepts into a single, more formal framework. It has influenced library-data initiatives and metadata modeling, including linked data ecosystems and projects exploring BIBFRAME-compatible mappings. Adoption varies by institution, with many libraries using the model to guide data modeling, cataloging practices, and system design, while others adopt specific aspects within local schemas.

See also: FRBR, FRAD, FRSAD, IFLA, Library Reference Model, BIBFRAME, Linked data.