Nelly Gancheva
Papers of BAS, Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 4, No 1, 2017
LIBRARY SCIENCE
MACHINE-READABLE FORMATS AND THE PROBLEM OF CONVERSION OF DATA BETWEEN SYSTEMS FOR BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION IN THE FIELD OF HUMANITIES (ON MATERIAL FROM THE CYRILLO-METHODIAN BIBLIOGRAPHY)
Nelly Gancheva
Abstract: The history of formats for bibliographic information from their emerging in the 60s of the 20th century until today is presented. The specific features of the two main machine-readable formats for data exchange – MARC (MARC 21) and UNIMARC are put forward, as well as their application in Bulgaria. On this basis the processes of automation of the Cyrillo-Methodian bibliography are assessed – the initial choice of software, the following updates, the reasons for data conversion from the medium of CDS/ISIS into a new information environment – that of MARC 21. Emphasis is placed on the problems following the conversion. Their presence confirms the thesis on the need for global unification and standardisation of the electronic presentation of metadata.
Keywords: CDS/ISIS, formats for bibliographic information, ISO 2709, MARC (MARC 21), UNIMARC, Cyrillo-Methodian bibliography, conversion