[Forwarding from the FOS list – Ross]
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact:
Pat Harris
NISO
(301) 654-2512
Email: [log in to unmask]
OpenURL Standard Trial Implementation Launched

Bethesda, Md., USA (June 18, 2003) - The National Information Standards
Organization (NISO) has released The OpenURL Framework for
Context-Sensitive Services standard (version 1.0) for a trial use period
ending November 1, 2003. The OpenURL standard allows a user who has
retrieved an information resource citation to obtain immediate access to
the most "appropriate" copy of the full resource through the
implementation of extended linking services. The selection of the best
source for the full resource is based on the user's and the
organization's preferences related to location, cost, contractual or
license agreements in place with information suppliers, etc.-all done
transparently to the user. The transparency is accomplished by storing
context sensitive metadata with the "OpenURL" link from the source
citation, and linking it to a "resolver" server where the preference
information and links to the source material are stored.
The initial development of OpenURL was targeted at the electronic
delivery of scholarly journal articles. In version 1.0 of the Standard
the framework is generalized to enable communities beyond the original
audience of scholarly information users to adopt extended linking
services and to lower the entry barrier for new implementers.
An impressive international group of trial users including data
providers constructing OpenURL metadata, providers of OpenURL resolvers,
and libraries providing end user services using OpenURL resolution are
testing the standard. The goal of the trial period is to test the
standard's framework using a variety of data sources and resolver
services to ensure that users can seamlessly receive and process
OpenURLs and to solicit feedback on the proposed standard.
Participating in the trial as data providers are:
 
CABI Publishing (U.K.)
Edinburgh University Data Library (U.K.)
Informatics India Ltd (India)
Grupo Stela (Brazil).
MIMAS, University of Manchester (U.K.)
MuseGlobal, Inc. (U.S.)
ProQuest Information and Learning (U.S.)
RLG-Eureka (U.S.)


 Participating resolver services include:
 ArXiv.org (U.S.)
Auto-Graphics, Inc. (U.S.)
Edinburgh University Data Library (U.K.)
Endeavor Information Systems (U.S.), Ex Libris USA, Inc. (U.S.)
Innovative Interfaces, Inc. (U.S.)
OhioLINK (U.S.)
Potiron Tecnologia para Bibliotecas (Brazil),
ProQuest Information and Learning (U.S.)
Sirsi Corporation (U.S.)
MuseGlobal, Inc. (U.S.)
Openly Informatics (U.S.)
RLG-Eureka (U.S.)
Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium).
 
Libraries providing end-user access include: Université Libre de
Bruxelles Libraries (Belgium), RLG-Eureka (U.S.), and The Getty Research
Institute Library (U.S.).
 The Standard has been issued in two parts and is available as a free
download at <http://library.caltech.edu/openurl/Public_Comments.htm>.
The activities of the OpenURL standards committee and its trial
implementers can be followed on the committee's website at
<http:// <http://%20library.caltech.edu/openurl/default.htm>
library.caltech.edu/openurl/default.htm> or by subscribing to the
committee's listserv by sending an email message to
[log in to unmask] with "subscribe openurl" (without quotation marks)
in the body of the message.
The trial use period is being coordinated and managed by the California
Digital Library.  To sign-on as a trial implementor contact Karen Coyle
(email: [log in to unmask]).

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About NISO:
NISO develops technical standards that enable libraries, publishers,
content providers and their business partners to maximize the value of
their content. All NISO standards are available to the public without
charge from the NISO website. Accredited by the American National
Standards Institute, NISO is a nonprofit organization supported by over
seventy members representing the leadership in the global information
community.  NISO Standards, information about NISO's activities, and
membership information are featured on the NISO website
http://www.niso.org/ or call 301-654-2512.
National Information Standards Organization * 4733 Bethesda Ave. *
Bethesda, MD 20814

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-- 
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD  20814-5248
Tel: 301-654-2512  Fax: 301-654-1721
[log in to unmask]       www.niso.org <http://www.niso.org/> 

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Ross MacIntyre                   T: +44(0)161-275-7181
Senior Project Manager     F: +44(0)161-275-6071
Manchester Computing      M: +44(0)778-095-6424
University of Manchester    E: [log in to unmask]
Oxford Road                         http://www.mimas.ac.uk/
<http://www.mcc.ac.uk/> 
Manchester   M13 9PL   U.K.
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