Committee Members

Project Plan

Status

Recent efforts in state and international arenas have resulted in Z39.50 profiles that contain detailed specifications for how to use Z39.50 in library applications.  A primary motivation driving the development of these profiles was to improve interoperability of Z39.50 accessible online library catalogs.  The recent approval of The Bath Profile: An International Z39.50 Specification for Library Applications and Resource Discovery as an Internationally Registered Profile, and the 1999 release of the Z Texas Profile: A Z39.50 Profile for Library Systems Applications in Texas have brought these solutions to interoperability of cross-catalog search and retrieval to a broad audience of librarian, Z39.50 developers, and integrated library system vendors. 

Several countries in Europe are developing national profiles that build upon the base of the Bath Profile specifications, providing international interoperability by compatibility with the Bath Profile while assuring that national requirements are identified and met.  A U.S. standard national is needed to assist libraries and vendors in implementing and configuring Z39.50 clients and servers required for statewide, consortia, national, and international interoperability.

Standards Committee AV is charged with developing a U.S. National Z39.50 Profile for Library Applications that addresses the following functions: 

• Bibliographic Search and Retrieval from Library Catalogs
• Transfer of Bibliographic Holdings Information.

The National Profile should be based on and compatible with the Bath Profile.  The Committee also should review other relevant Z39.50 profiles (e.g., the Z Texas Profile and the ONE-2 Profile) for additional specifications. 

The Committee is expected to consult with the members of the Bath Group, the Texas Z39.50 Implementors Group, and other relevant profiling groups and experts. The Committee also is expected to consult with representatives from a range of libraries, vendors of library management software systems, and other Z39.50 developers to ensure the resulting profile meets the needs of libraries and the library vendor and Z39.50 developer communities.  The chair should establish a public listserv and website presence for the work of the committee and communication with members of the committee and the broader group of stakeholders.

The Committee will prepare the draft standard national profile for ballot by the NISO voting members and respond to comments and negative votes received as a result of the ballot as specified in the NISO Procedures for the Development and Approval and Maintenance of NISO American National Standards.

The first version of the U.S. National Z39.50 Profile for Library Applications is limited to specifications in the two functional areas listed above. International and state profiles for Z39.50 specifications for library applications will continue to evolve. Their architectural design with modularized functional areas enable additional compatible specifications to be incorporated that reflect newly identified requirements and functionality within the scope of the profiles.  As the relevant profiling groups (e.g., the Bath Group and the Texas Z39.50 Implementors Group) evolve their specifications, the U.S. National Z39.50 Profile will have to evolve.  In addition to developing the draft standard profile, this Committee is responsible for establishing the procedures for ongoing maintenance and evolution of the U.S. National Z39.50 Profile.

The Committee should target a 12-14 month period for its work, beginning in early Fall 2000 and ending by late Summer 2001.

[Final October 9, 2000]