Cindy Hepfer, our vigilant ALA Voting representative to NISO, has forwarded to us a new ISO ballot: ‘ISO/CD 25964-1, Thesauri and interoperability…, Part 1: Thesauri for information retrieval’
As usual, she provides us some text to pique our interest:
‘ISO/CD 25964-1, Thesauri and interoperability…, Part 1: Thesauri for information retrieval’
This is the first ballot on a new standard, Information and documentation — Thesauri and interoperability with other vocabularies — Part 1: Thesauri for information retrieval.
This standard is a revision and merger of the two existing standards for monolingual (ISO 2788) and multilingual (ISO 5964) thesauri. The new standard is planned to be issued in two parts. This ballot is for Part 1, which covers the development and maintenance of thesauri, both monolingual and multilingual, including formats and protocols for data exchange. Part 2 is still in development; it will deal with interoperability between different thesauri and with other types of structured vocabulary.
The referenced standard is included with the ballot in two files. The first file is the body of the standard. The second file is the informative annexes. Note that the annexes contain examples from other documents which may be copyrighted and copyright permission has not yet been obtained for the final publication. Therefore, please do no disseminate this annex beyond the voting membership.
Also as usual, ALA may distribute copies of these documents (to ALA members only) for the purpose of review and comment related to the preparation of the U.S. position. Those interested in reviewing the documents should apply directly to Cindy at HSLcindy@buffalo.edu (confirming their ALA membership with their request).
In the absence of other recommendations, ALA will recommend that NISO vote “yes†on the ballot.
Update 1/19/09: Oops, forgot to include the deadline, it’s March 6, 2009. [dih]
Diane Hillmann
LITA Standards Coordinator