12 Encoding Of Data

The data should be encoded in such a way that it is possible to create the indexes described in Section 13.

The data should be encoded in such a way that systems are able to create the compressed displays described in Section 14, such that a work identifier can be displayed among many other work identifiers, an author identifier can be displayed among many other author identifiers, and a subject identifier can be displayed among many other subject identifiers.

The data should be encoded in such a way that systems are able to provide the work display described in section 14, such that a user can see the data elements that describe the work, with the data elements that describe the various expressions available below, and with the data elements that describe the various manifestations of each expression available below the appropriate expression description.

Furthermore, these data elements should be expandable or collapsible in what software designers and programmers commonly refer to as tree-like structures. This capability would provide catalog users the ability to expand or contract their view of a particular work, a particular creator, or a particular subject, genre, form or discipline in accord with their browsing or research needs.

Ideally, encode the data in such a way that it is possible to allow a catalog user to identify his or her preferred language, script and/or transliteration method, and have the catalog switch the preferred forms for all entities (persons, corporate bodies, works, expressions, subjects, genre/forms, and disciplines) to the preferred forms in the users' preferred language, script and/or transliteration scheme, if applicable (with good default fall-back algorithms for cases in which a preferred form does not exist in the desired language, script and/or transliteration scheme). In determining preferred forms in languages, scripts and/or transliteration schemes other than those of the catalog and the cataloging agency, prefer forms agreed upon by cataloging agencies that work in that language, script and/or transliteration scheme. If that is not possible, but only one variant form exists in the language, script and/or transliteration scheme, prefer that. If more than one variant form exists in a particular language, script and/or transliteration scheme, arbitrarily choose the first in the record as the preferred form for those particular users.

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