[Koha-devel] [MLA-NEWS:5205] NISO Publishes RFP Writer's Guide to Standards (fwd)

[address@hidden via news-to-mail gateway]

Hi,

I got this from another list a month ago. Perhaps the NISO document
can serve as a checklist for Koha at some point.


-----Original Message-----
From: S. Norma Godavari [mailto:address@hidden
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2002 4:59 PM
To: Manitoba Library Association News mailing list
Subject: [MLA-NEWS:5205] NISO Publishes RFP Writer's Guide to Standards
(fwd)


From: NISO Headquarters <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact:
Patricia Harris
Executive Director
NISO
(301) 654-2512
Email: address@hidden

NISO Publishes Guide to Standards for Library Systems

Bethesda, Md., USA - (December 19, 2002) - The National
Information Standards Organization (NISO) announces the
publication of The RFP Writer's Guide to Standards for Library
Systems, a manual intended to aid library system Request
for Proposal (RFP) writers and evaluators in understanding
the relevant standards and determining a software product's
compliance with standards.

The widespread use of Integrated Library Systems (ILS), global
communications via the Internet, and growing numbers of digital
library initiatives have made the need for compliance with
standards more critical than ever.  Implementing information
products and systems that support standards can ensure that
libraries will be able to: ... integrate electronic content
products from multiple vendors; ... resource share on a wider
geographic scale, even globally; ... participate in more
cooperative programs with other organizations, including ones
outside the library community; ... speed up the "time to market"
of library materials, i.e. the time to acquire, catalog,
process, and circulate an item; ... provide remote access to
library services; ... reduce the need for user training; ...
operate successfully with their parent organization's computing
infrastructure; ... migrate cost effectively to newer systems;
and ... more easily adopt new technologies.

The RFP Writer's Guide to Standards for Library Systems
identifies critical standards in the areas of Bibliographic
Formats, Record Structure, Character Sets, Exchange Media,
Serials Identifiers, Binding, Circulation Protocols, Barcodes,
Interlibrary Loan (ILL), Electronic Documents, Electronic Data
Interchange (EDI), Information Retrieval, Metadata, and Web
Access.  For each standard, the applicability to libraries is
described, sample RFP language is provided, and compliance
assessment issues are discussed.  "Having recently participated
in writing an RFP, I wish I'd had this Guide in hand," stated
Priscilla Caplan, Assistant Director of Digital Library Services
at the Florida Center for Library Automation.  "It's easy to
rattle off a list of standards to be supported, but another
thing altogether to specify standards compliance in a way that
discriminates between different vendor implementations."

Copies of the guide are available in print from
NISO Press or for free download from NISO's website
(http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/RFP_Writers_Guide.pdf).

About the Author
Cynthia Hodgson, the author of the Guide, is an independent
information consultant and writer with over 20 years of
experience as a corporate librarian, library manager, and
information technology manager.  She has taught graduate level
courses in Library Science and has held local and national
offices in professional library organizations.

About NISO
NISO is the only U.S. group accredited by the American National
Standards Institute to develop and promote technical standards
for use in information delivery services providing voluntary
standards for libraries, publishers and related information
technology organizations.  All NISO standards are developed by
consensus under the guidance of experts and practitioners in the
field to meet the needs of both the information user and the
producer.  For information about NISO's current standardization
interests and membership possibilities, please visit the NISO
website at http://www.niso.org.
--
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD  20814-5248
Tel: 301-654-2512  Fax: 301-654-1721
address@hidden    www.niso.org
  -------
  NEW PUBLICATION FROM SUN: Sun Microsystems, Inc. has just published a  
new
whitepaper entitled "Digital Library Technology Trends". This 38 page
publication examines evolving Digital Library technology trends, new IT
architectures, content management issues, and leading edge academic
projects worldwide. To download a free copy, go to:

http://www.sun.com/products-n-solutions/edu/whitepapers/pdf/ 
digital_library_trends.pdf

Copies are also available in volume for events by emailing a request to
address@hidden


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