Think of each of these things as having individual web pages. These web pages refer to the resource in question and contain a description of that resource. To visualize the system, consider the diagram below. On the left is a series of web pages. To a large degree, we already do this in our paper-based records.
People get their own listings in phone books.
Buildings are recorded at the Lands Office. Documents are indexed in card catalogues. And towns are listed in the provincial register and on road maps. MuniMall simply places this existing information in electronic format. The purpose of a data record is to provide a description of the resource in question.