The New Italian Cataloguing Rules (REICAT) and the UNIMARC standard: open problems and proposals for the application in library catalogues

The Italian community of UNIMARC users is examining the applicability of the New Italian Cataloguing rules (REICAT) in relation to the use of the UNIMARC standard in our catalogues and our OPACs. The new Italian rules have a new conceptual structure inspired on FRBR and the Frankfurt statement of principles. The new code will change the bibliographic structure of on-line catalogues and it will also require a different use of UNIMARC for the Italian community. Using a real database of a real Italian OPAC we have simulated a cataloguing activity using REICAT together with the UNIMARC standards, just to test the possible use of the new Italian Rules, its consequences for the current workflows and the possible implementation requests referring to UNIMARC. The focus of this testing activity is on two main subjects: a) main changes of formal aspects of headings according to the new Italian rules and consequences of their use for the UNIMARC standard; and b) main changes related to the application of FRBR in the New Italian Cataloguing Rules, particularly regarding the use of the uniform title field in relation to work, expression, manifestation; analysis of the possibilities actually offered by UNIMARC and proposals for the necessary implementation of the standard.