Mental models of the bibliographic universe. Part 2: comparison task and conclusions

Purpose: This study aimed to provide some insight into mental models of the bibliographic universe and how they compare with FRBR as a conceptual model of the bibliographic universe. Design/methodology/approach: To get a more complete picture of the mental models, different elicitation techniques were used. The three tasks of this study were: card sorting, concept mapping and comparison task. This article deals with comparison task, which consisted of interviews and rankings, and provides a discussion of the results of the study as a whole. Findings: Results of the ranking part of the comparison task confirm the findings of concept mapping task. In both cases, while there are individual differences between mental models, on average they gravitate towards FRBR. Research limitations/implications: This is a small study and it provides only a glimpse of the implications of using FRBR as a conceptual basis for cataloguing. More FRBR related user studies are needed, including similar studies on different groups of individuals and different types of materials, as well as practical studies of user needs and user interfaces. Practical implications: The results of this study are the first user tested indication of the validity of FRBR as a conceptual basis for the future of cataloguing. Originality/value: This is the first published study of mental models of the bibliographic universe and uses a unique combination of mental model elicitation techniques.