So, what are the alternatives? David Fiander, in an article cited in our online bibliography, describes three possible alternatives.
The first he says is to begin with the MARC format and literally translate it into XML. The second is to begin with the structure of AACR2 and describe it using XML. The third is to take advantage of the change in technology to create a new structure that builds on recent cataloging research.
These three approaches to marking up library data are reflected in the XML schemas that exist in the library community today.