National Information Standards Organization

The National Information Standards Organization, commonly known as NISO, is a United States nonprofit standards organization serving the publishing, library, information-services, and digital-content communities. Its work focuses on creating shared technical specifications, recommended practices, technical reports, and other consensus documents that allow organizations and information systems to exchange, identify, describe, preserve, and measure content consistently. NISO originated in 1939 as the Z39 Committee, a standards committee concerned with information and bibliographic practices. The Z39 designation remains visible in the names of many NISO standards. The organization was incorporated as a not-for-profit education association in 1983 and adopted the name National Information Standards Organization in 1984. Jerrold Orne chaired the committee from 1963 through 1977, a period in which information standards became increasingly important to libraries, publishers, and emerging computerized information systems. NISO is accredited by the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI. Through that relationship it develops U.S. national standards and represents U.S. interests in relevant international standards work. NISO has been designated to represent the United States on ISO Technical Committee 46, Information and Documentation, its subcommittees, and ISO/IEC JTC 1 Subcommittee 34, which addresses document description and processing languages. Since 2008, NISO has also served as the ANSI-appointed secretariat for ISO TC 46 Subcommittee 9, which covers identification and description. The organization’s standards portfolio spans traditional bibliographic exchange and library automation as well as digital publishing and scholarly communications. Examples include standards and specifications associated with bibliographic records, journal title abbreviations, library statistics, bibliographic database access, library circulation data exchange, digital object identifiers, Dublin Core metadata, accessible digital talking books, technical metadata for digital images, OpenURL link resolution, usage-statistics harvesting, journal-article markup, resource synchronization, standards-tag markup, and linked-document content profiles. These specifications support workflows used by libraries, publishers, aggregators, repositories, vendors, and other organizations that manage structured information. NISO’s activities extend beyond formal standards development. It publishes recommended practices, technical reports, and consensus guidance; convenes working groups and community discussions; and provides webinars, continuing education, and other professional programs for librarians, publishers, and information professionals. Its membership has included commercial publishers, technology companies, library organizations, universities, and public libraries. The organization has maintained separate participation routes for voting members and libraries through the Library Standards Alliance, allowing members to contribute to standards governance and receive educational benefits. Todd Carpenter became NISO’s executive director in 2006. In 2019, NISO announced an intended merger with the National Federation of Advanced Information Services, an association representing information-service providers. The merger was planned for July 2019 and was followed by the creation of NISO Plus, a conference launched in 2020 that continued the tradition of the NFAIS annual conference. NISO’s continuing role is that of a neutral, consensus-oriented infrastructure organization rather than a consumer-facing product brand: its value lies in coordinating stakeholders and making technical interoperability practices available to the information community.

The National Information Standards Organization traces its origins to 1939, when the Z39 Committee was established to address standards for information and bibliographic practices in the United States. The committee’s work developed during a period when libraries, publishers, and information providers increasingly needed common methods for describing and exchanging records. The Z39 identifier later became a durable part of the names assigned to many NISO standards. Jerrold Orne chaired the Z39 Committee from 1963 to 1977. His tenure coincided with the expansion of automated cataloging, machine-readable bibliographic data, and formal cooperation among libraries and information organizations. As information systems became more interconnected, technical standards were needed not only for printed publications but also for data exchange, catalog records, serials, and emerging computerized services. The organization was incorporated as a not-for-profit education association in 1983. In 1984 it adopted its current name, National Information Standards Organization. Under that identity it broadened its remit from traditional bibliographic standards to a wider information infrastructure role. Its work came to encompass publishing workflows, library automation, metadata, digital preservation, accessibility, scholarly communication, usage measurement, and online content delivery. NISO operates within the U.S. standards system through accreditation by the American National Standards Institute. It develops formal American National Standards as well as recommended practices, technical reports, and other consensus-based documents. NISO standards are published through ANSI, while NISO makes its standards and best practices freely available through its own website. This open-access approach distinguishes its information resources from many standards programs that restrict access to paid publications. The organization also has an international standards function. ANSI designated NISO to represent U.S. interests in ISO Technical Committee 46, Information and Documentation, including its subcommittees. NISO also represents U.S. interests in ISO/IEC JTC 1 Subcommittee 34, which concerns document description and processing languages. In 2008, NISO became the ANSI-appointed secretariat for ISO TC 46 Subcommittee 9, focused on identification and description. NISO’s technical output has covered a broad range of information problems. Its Z39 family includes work relating to bibliographic record interchange, bibliographic references, serial-title abbreviations, library statistics, database access, circulation data exchange, digital object identifiers, Dublin Core metadata, accessible talking books, image metadata, OpenURL, usage-statistics harvesting, journal-article markup, resource synchronization, standards markup, and linked-document profiles. These specifications have supported interoperability among libraries, publishers, vendors, repositories, aggregators, and scholarly platforms. Membership and education are important parts of NISO’s operating model. Its voting membership has included major publishers, technology companies, library organizations, and other information-sector institutions. The Library Standards Alliance provides a participation route for university and public libraries, including access to educational programming such as webinars. NISO also publishes Information Standards Quarterly, which has been available online as an open-access publication since 2011. Todd Carpenter was appointed executive director in 2006. In February 2019, NISO announced plans to merge with the National Federation of Advanced Information Services, an organization serving advanced information providers. The combination was planned for July 2019. In 2020, NISO launched the NISO Plus conference, carrying forward the tradition of the NFAIS annual conference. Through these activities, NISO has continued to function as a convening and standards-setting body for information professionals rather than as a conventional commercial brand.

• 2020

  NISO Plus conference launched

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  NISO launched the NISO Plus conference, continuing the tradition of the NFAIS annual conference.

• 2019

  Merger plans with NFAIS announced

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  NISO announced plans to merge with the National Federation of Advanced Information Services.

• 2011

  Information Standards Quarterly becomes open access online

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  NISO’s Information Standards Quarterly magazine became available online as an open-access publication.

• 2008

  NISO becomes secretariat for ISO TC 46/SC 9

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  NISO was appointed by ANSI to serve as secretariat for ISO Technical Committee 46 Subcommittee 9 on identification and description.

• 2006

  Todd Carpenter appointed executive director

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  Todd Carpenter was appointed executive director of NISO.

• 1984

  Adopts the NISO name

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  The organization assumed the name National Information Standards Organization.

• 1983

  Incorporated as a nonprofit education association

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was incorporated as a not-for-profit education association.

• 1977

  End of Orne chairmanship

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  Jerrold Orne’s documented period as chair of the Z39 Committee ended.

• 1963

  Jerrold Orne begins chairmanship

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  Jerrold Orne became chair of the Z39 Committee, serving through 1977.

• 1939

  Z39 Committee established

  [1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  The organization began as the Z39 Committee, an American standards committee focused on information and bibliographic practices.

A neutral, nonprofit, ANSI-accredited forum for developing openly accessible information standards and practical guidance across publishing, libraries, scholarly communication, and digital content distribution.

• Technical standards

  ANSI/NISO Z39 standards

  The Z39 family is NISO’s principal series of information standards. It covers interoperability and description problems across bibliographic records, library systems, publishing, metadata, digital objects, and content distribution. Examples include standards for bibliographic-record exchange, bibliographic references, journal-title abbreviations, library statistics, database access, library circulation exchange, digital object identifiers, OpenURL, usage-statistics harvesting, and journal-article markup.

• Industry guidance

  NISO recommended practices

  NISO develops recommended practices for areas where the information community benefits from common implementation guidance but where a formal national standard may not be necessary. These documents are produced through community consultation and consensus and address practical workflows in publishing, libraries, scholarly communication, and digital information services.

• Research and standards documentation

  NISO technical reports and consensus documents

  Technical reports and related consensus documents allow NISO to document emerging practices, implementation considerations, and technical findings. They provide a bridge between exploratory community work and more formal standards development, helping organizations evaluate or adopt developing approaches to information management and exchange.

• Professional education

  NISO education and webinars

  NISO offers educational programming for librarians, publishers, information specialists, and other professionals. Its activities include webinars, continuing education, and community discussions that explain standards, implementation issues, and developments in information infrastructure.

• Conference · 2020

  NISO Plus

  NISO Plus is a conference launched in 2020. It continued the tradition of the annual conference associated with the National Federation of Advanced Information Services and provides a forum for discussion among information providers, publishers, libraries, technology organizations, and related professionals.

• 2020

  Launch of NISO PlusProduct launch

  Background

  Following the planned NISO–NFAIS combination, NISO sought to continue the conference tradition associated with NFAIS.

  Action taken

  NISO launched the NISO Plus conference as a forum for the information-services and publishing communities.

  Aftermath

  The conference became part of NISO’s educational and convening activities.

  Source

• 2019

  Plan to merge with the National Federation of Advanced Information ServicesM&A

  Background

  NISO and the National Federation of Advanced Information Services operated in adjacent areas of the information-services community, creating a basis for organizational combination.

  Action taken

  NISO announced plans for a merger with NFAIS, with the combination planned for July 2019.

  Aftermath

  The subsequent NISO Plus conference in 2020 continued the tradition of the NFAIS annual conference.

  Source

• 2020

  NISO launches NISO Plus conference[1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Other

  NISO introduced the NISO Plus conference, continuing the conference tradition associated with NFAIS after the organizations’ planned combination.

• 2019

  NISO announces planned merger with NFAIS[1]National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  NISO announced plans to merge with the National Federation of Advanced Information Services, with the transaction expected to take place in July 2019.

1. 1National Information Standards Organizationen.wikipedia.org
2. 2National Information Standards Organization official websiteniso.org