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Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP)

About the SIP Project

3M introduced the 3M™ Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP) in 1993. This protocol provided a standard communication mechanism to allow Integrated Library Systems (ILS) applications and self-service devices to communicate seamlessly to perform self-service transactions. This protocol quickly became the de facto standard around the world, and remains the primary protocol to integrate ILSs and self-service devices.

Since the protocol’s inception in 1993, 3M has continued to produce updated versions of it. Most recently 3M published version 3.0, for which the library community of developers and interested parties was utilized to provide input for its production. Version 3.0 was published at the end of 2011.

While 3M has always sought input from the library community of developers and interested parties in enhancing the protocol, they felt the time was right for further maintenance and upgrades to SIP to be done in a more independent, community environment. 3M will continue to participate, but as a contributing vendor and user of the protocol.

A newly formed NISO SIP Working Group will shepherd the protocol through the NISO standardization process.

For more information, view the SIP New Work Item Proposal.

SIP and NCIP

There is close connection between SIP and NISO’s Circulation Interchange Protocol (NCIP) standard. With both standards approved and maintained within NISO, there is an opportunity for the two standards' working groups to clarify the structural differences and to provide the community direction on the appropriateness for each standard within a given context. This will be one of the tasks of both the new SIP working group and the NCIP Maintenance Agency moving forward.

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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.2-1994 (R2016) Information Interchange Format

The basis for the MARC (Machine Readable Catalog) record, this standard specifies the requirements for a generalized interchange format that can be used for the communication of records in any media.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-70-4
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Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.89-2003 (S2014) The U.S. National Z39.50 Profile for Library Applications

This standard specifies the use of ANSI/NISO Z39.50-2003 in library applications. It specifies Z39.50 client and Z39.50 server behavior for search and retrieval across online library catalogs. The specifications included in this standard use The Bath Profile: A Z39.50 Specification for Library Applications and Resource Discovery (Release 2) as its foundation. Conformant use of this standard will improve interoperability between Z39.50 implementations.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-43-8
Document Details
Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.50-2003 (S2014) Information Retrieval: Application Service Definition & Protocol Specification

This standard defines a client/server based service and protocol for Information Retrieval. It specifies procedures and formats for a client to search a database provided by a server, retrieve database records, and perform related information retrieval functions. The protocol addresses communication between information retrieval applications at the the client and server; it does not address interaction between the client and the end-user.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-42-1
Document Details
Standard

ANSI/NISO Z39.71-2006 (R2011) Holdings Statements for Bibliographic Items

Specifies display requirements for holdings statements for bibliographic items to promote consistency in the communication and exchange of holdings information. The standard applies to holdings statements for bibliographic items in any physical or electronic medium. It may be applied to electronic resources available to an institution, either under its control, or available under other arrangements. It applies to both manual and automated means of recording holdings. This standard replaces both the Serial Holdings Standard Z39.44 and the Non-Serials Holdings standard Z39.57. The 2006 edition is a maintenance revision of the 1999 standard. The changes are minor updates, corrections, or editorial clarifications based on comments received from the systematic review of the standard.

This standard supersedes (combines) the following two NISO standards: Z39.44 - 1986 Serial Holdings Statement Z39.57 - 1989 Holding Statements for Non-Serial Items Z39.44 superseded the following withdrawn standard: Z39.42 - 1980 Serial Holdings Statements at the Summary Level.

ISBN: 978-1-937522-31-5
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