FRBRoo

FRBRoo is a formal, object-oriented ontology that harmonizes the conceptual model of bibliographic records known as FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) with the CIDOC Conceptual Reference Model (CIDOC CRM), a widely used ontology for cultural heritage information. It was developed to provide a common semantic framework that enables interoperability between library bibliographic data and museum, archive, and heritage information systems.

The ontology re-expresses FRBR’s core entities and relationships in terms compatible with CIDOC CRM, using object-oriented and event-centered modeling to represent works, expressions, manifestations, items, agents, and the bibliographic and curatorial events that relate them. FRBRoo is expressed for use in semantic web environments (RDF/OWL) and supports linked data principles, allowing richer cross-domain integration and reasoning than isolated cataloguing models.

FRBRoo was produced through collaboration between library and cultural heritage communities and is maintained through ongoing review by relevant standards groups. It has been applied in projects that seek to link bibliographic records with museum and archival descriptions, to enhance discovery across domains, and to support semantic interoperability among diverse metadata schemas.

Adoption is mixed: FRBRoo offers detailed modeling power and strong interoperability potential, but its complexity and the effort required to map legacy data present challenges for some institutions. It remains an important reference for initiatives that require precise conceptual alignment between bibliographic and cultural heritage information.