Modeling Aggregates in FRBR

In the bibliographic environment, the term aggregate is used to describe a bibliographic entity formed by combining distinct bibliographic units together. Aggregates are a large and growing class of information resources—up to 20% of the bibliographic records in OCLC’s WorldCat may represent aggregates. The Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records: Final Report only briefly references aggregates. Difficulties and inconsistencies in the application of the FRBR model to aggregates have been identified as a significant impediment to FRBR implementation. To address the issue, the FRBR Review Group established a Working Group on Aggregates that completed its charge and submitted its final report in 2011. TheWorking Group proposed that an aggregate be defined as a “manifestation embodying multiple distinct expressions.” This article examines the proposed definition and explores how aggregates can be modeled.