End of MARC: Planning for Transition to BIBFRAME - Webinar (02/14/2023)

Did you know that MARC is over a half century old? MARC was developed before the rise of cell phones, the internet, connected devices and our integrated library catalogs, our ILS. MARC was developed to help facilitate the transition of print card catalogs into an electronic record format even before the first online public access catalogs (OPACs) were created! While MARC has served us well for many years, libraries are "stuck" with an aging data framework that follows no modern data practices, impeding our ability to share our resources on the internet, facilitate more modern user experiences with our data, and keeps library staff chained to an aging framework of rigid standards, requiring us to "code" or markup our data. So, why are we still using MARC? That is a complicated question! While MARC has been forecast as "dying" for many years, transitioning to a new data framework involves many factors.

In this session, we'll trace the history of BIBFRAME development, discuss where we are with BIBFRAME, and talk through what libraries need to do to prepare for BIBFRAME. We'll briefly explore how BIBFRAME will change libraries breaking us free of a data structure that has driven our cataloging decisions, ILS development, and even whether our records are "Google-able" (hint: MARC records without conversion into another format are not indexed or searchable in Google). Don't worry if you are not ready to implement BIBFRAME just yet - we'll discuss what you can do now to prepare for the eventual migration to BIBFRAME, ensuring that it is a planned process over time.

Resources: Slides, project planning templates, BIBFRAME resources, and much more!

Audience: All library staff; No technical services experience is needed for this session which will be of interest to all technical services staff, key stakeholders and decision makers in libraries, including Directors and Managers, as well as any library staff interested in data, technical services, or big changes on the way that will impact all libraries!

Virtual Trainer: Robin Fay

Robin Fay is a metadata and cataloger expert trainer. With over 15 years’ cataloging and metadata experience including for the Library of Congress, University of Georgia Libraries, University System of Georgia Documentation Group, Orbis Cascade Alliance, among others, Robin combines real life experience with a warm and enthusiastic training style. Robin is a sought after speaker and trainer, having trained staff at all levels in public and academic libraries, in addition to archives and special collections.

This is an online class. Access information will be emailed one week ahead.

Cost: NEFLIN classes are free of charge for Florida library staff. Registration is required for all classes and NEFLIN members get priority.

This project was funded either under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services or the Library Cooperative Grant program. Florida’s LSTA and LCG programs are administered by the Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.

For FY2022-23, the total state and federal budgets for NEFLIN's programs are $688,109. 42% of the total costs ($288,109) are supported by federal funds, and 58% of this program ($400,000) is supported by state funds.