The Unesco Common Communication Format (CCF) is described in the context of other exchange formats. A definition is given of 'exchange format', and the CCF is compared against this definition. The history of its development is outlined and its major technical features are summarized. Examples are given of the ways in which it is being used and is likely to be used in the future, and a number of implementation manuals are mentioned which have been developed to assist in its use.
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References
1.
Ccf: the Common Communication Format. Paris, Unesco, 1984 (PGI-84/WS/4).
2.
Martin M.D.Reference manual for machine-readable bibliographic descriptions. Paris, Unesco, 1974. 2nd edition, edited by H. Dierickx and A. Hopkinson.Paris, Unesco, 1981 (PGI-84/WS/20).
3.
International Symposium on Bibliographic Exchange Formats. Towards a common bibliographic exchange format?: proceedings. Budapest, OMKDK, 1978.
4.
Unimarc: Universal MARC Format. London, IFLA International Office for UBC, 1977.
5.
International Interchange Format - MEKOF-2: specification of data elements . Moscow, ICSTI, 1977 (Official English translation of Mezhdunarodnij Kommunikativnij Format).
6.
ISDS Manual. Paris, Unesco , 1984.
7.
Six International Standard Bibliographic Descriptions have been published by the IFLA International Office for UBC, covering monographic publications, serials, non-book materials, cartographic materials, antiquarian materials and printed music. There is also an ISBD(G), a General framework which governs the structures of the other ISBDs.
8.
International Organization for Standardization.Documentation: format for bibliographic information interchange on magnetic tape. 2nd edition. Geneva, ISO, 1981 (ISO 2709-1981).
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FORMEX: formalized exchange of electronic publications: working document . Luxembourg, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1985.
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Unbis.Reference manual for bibliographic description: a manual for the preparation of bibliographic data for input into and retrieval from the United Nations Bibliographic Information System. New York, UN Dag Hammarskjold Library, 1985.
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Iconda.Communication format: format for the exchange of records in the frame of the International Construction Databases. First edition draft. Stuttgart, IRB Verlag, 1985.
12.
Hopkinson, Alan.UNIMARC Handbook. London , IFLA International Office for UBC, 1983.
13.
The 'family tree' in Figure 1 shows the relationship between different bibliographic standards which are related to formats for the exchange of bibliographic data. It shows the direct descendents of MARC which was developed by the Library of Congress in the USA in 1967. This culminates in the 'marriage' of UNIMARC and the UNISIST Reference Manual resulting in the production of the Common Communication Format. The success of the MARC experiment was such that it spawned formats in both the national library and the abstracting and indexing communities. Unlike human kinship, formats have been subject to cross-fertilization. The arrows in the diagram indicate influence. Thus UNIMARC, though descended from LC MARC, has been influenced by national and regional formats. ISBDs have also influenced UNIMARC. Interestingly, the earlier national formats were based very closely on LC MARC, later ones on UNIMARC, and more recent ones have been influenced by the CCF, though in the case of Brazil and Colombia they were originally based very closely on LC MARC and were in suspended animation for a number of years. The standard record structure, ISO 2709, was based on the record structure of the LC MARC format. The second edition has an optional, more complex structure, which has been used in — and has indeed made possible — the development of the CCF within the context of international standardization.
