US National Z3950 Profile draft specifications

[Apologies for the cross postings]

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) established
Standards Committee AV (SC AV) in Fall 2000 to create a Z39.50 profile
for library applications.  A Z39.50 profile details a subset of the full
standard's specification to support specific applications and to improve
interoperability.  An important development for using Z39.50 in
libraries was the Bath Profile: An International Z39.50
Specification for Library Applications and Resource Discovery.  The
development of a US National Z39.50 Profile for Library Applications
builds on the foundation of the Bath Profile and extends the Bath
specifications to respond to national requirements.

SC AV has met three times and has evolved drafts of the profile.  We are
at a point of consensus and want to make public a draft of major
portions of the profile.  

The draft document is available on SC AV's website
<www.unt.edu/zprofile>, and we are making it available in three file
formats.  The following URLs point to the Word, Rich Text Form (RTF),
and PDF files respectively:

http://www.unt.edu/zprofile/Profile/September/DraftProfile15Sep2001.doc
http://www.unt.edu/zprofile/Profile/September/DraftProfile15Sep2001.rtf
http://www.unt.edu/zprofile/Profile/September/DraftProfile15Sep2001.pdf

Other information about NISO SC AV's work is available on the website. 

We invite you to review this document, and if you have questions or
comments on it, please feel free to contact me.  The comment period
extends through October 31, 2001.

SC AV will continue its work, particularly on the specifications for
interchanging bibliographic holdings information.  In addition, SC AV
has asked the Bath Profile group to revisit some specifications in that
profile.  A meeting of the Bath group is currently scheduled for early
October, and the outcomes of that meeting may be reflected in changes to
the US National Profile.  SC AV plans to submit to NISO a draft standard
for formal ballot within the next three months.

Thank you for your interest.

Bill Moen, Chair of NISO SC AV
email:  wemoen@unt.edu
voice:  940-565-3563