Investigating Mental Models of Cataloguers as the First Step Towards the Development of Intuitive Cataloguer's Tools

Abstract

The roles library professionals play in bibliographic information systems are constantly evolving with the changing information environment and demanding users. In terms of Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) (1998), the new paradigm relating to the bibliographic universe is driving new requirements for data preparation and that represents a dramatic change in how cataloguers think; in other words, in their mental models (Rose, 2012: 129). Therefore, a study of the cataloguers’ mental models of the bibliographic universe was carried out to investigate whether the FRBR structure would be confirmed by mental models of cataloguers. Our method for elicitation of mental models is based on concept mapping, which is well suited for representing mental models of individuals (Jackson & Trochim, 2002: 312). The findings of our study show that on average cataloguers’ mental models resemble the FRBR conceptual model.