The FRBR model provides a four-step set of user tasks:

     find, identify, select, obtain

These user tasks are matched to the data in catalog records. However, they seem to assume a traditional look-up in a stand-alone library catalog. In addition, the analysis in FRBR links existing library catalog data to these user tasks, it does not do the opposite: it does not take, for example, "find" and ask: what are all of the ways that we want to make it possible for users to find items held by the library? So if you start with the assumption of the current catalog record, you of course end up with nothing more than the current catalog record.

Instead, this page will take the opposite approach. Please send any use cases you have to kcoyle at kcoyle.net.

A user is looking at an article on Wikipedia. The bibliography links to some books the user would like to get hold of.

Possible solutions:

- a link to Amazon from Wikipedia

- a link to WorldCat from Wikipedia

- a link to the user's local library from Wikipedia

What would be needed to make this work:

A user has just finished a great mystery and wants to read another one.

supporting data: "readers who liked x also liked y"

A user has just finished a book and wants to know what other books the author has written.

this is an author search, but needs to take place in an environment that is likely to be complete. A search in the library catalog would answer the question "what other books by this author does my library have?" and that is a different question.

A user needs to find in the library a book from the recommended reading list of her history class.
supporting data: a link to the library copy from the reading list
supporting data: or an option in the library catalog to see what courses the book is currently being used in

supporting data: a link to a digital copy (or ebook) available for lending (including Open Library)