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Serials Joint Working Party (JWP)

NISO is partnering with EDItEUR to support the use of ONIX for Serials to communicate information about serial products and subscriptions. Since 2003 a NISO/EDItEUR Joint Working Party (JWP) has explored the development of a common standard format for the exchange of serials subscription information, encompassing:

  • Recommended enhancements to the ONIX for Serials schema and documentation to support exchange of serials subscription information;
  • Recommended query/response scenarios can be accommodated within the emerging EDItEUR framework for transaction-based exchange;
  • A pilot project involving publishers, intermediaries, and libraries to demonstrate the feasibility of using ONIX for Serials as an exchange format for serials subscription information.

This work was launched by a NISO White Paper on "The Exchange of Serials Subscription Information" by Ed Jones released in September 2002. The Jones White paper reported that libraries, content aggregators, publishers, and third party service providers are increasingly exchanging information about serials subscription. The paper concluded that a standard exchange format would be beneficial to all parties in the supply chain and identified ONIX for Serials as a good foundation for the exchange format.

ONIX for Serials Messaging Formats

The following messaging formats are in either production or pilot phase. For the most current version and status, visit the ONIX for Serials webpage. 

  • SPS -- Serials Products and Subscriptions
    A format for communicating information about serial subscription products, with or without price information, and optionally including subscription information relating to a particular subscriber.
  • SOH -- Serials Online Holdings
    A format for communicating electronic serials holdings details from publication access management systems to user libraries.
  • SRN -- Serials Release Notification
    A format for communicating information about the publication or electronic availability of one or more serial releases.

Documents

Committee Roster

Chair