[Asis-standards] Fwd: NISO Publishes Update to Metrics Data Dictionary for Libraries and Information Providers

[Mark Needleman]

FYI

mark

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	NISO Publishes Update to Metrics Data Dictionary for Libraries 
and Information Providers
Date: 	Mon, 29 Jul 2013 15:01:49 -0400
From: 	Cynthia Hodgson <hodgsonca at verizon.net>
To: 	<newsline at list.niso.org>



The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) announces the 
publication of the fifth edition of the standard ANSI/NISO Z39.7, 
/Information Services and Use: Metrics and Statistics for Libraries and 
Information Providers -- Data Dictionary./ The purpose of the Z39.7 Data 
Dictionary is to assist the information community in the identification, 
definition, collection, and interpretation of statistical data used to 
describe the current status and condition of libraries in the United 
States. It absorbs many of the de facto definitions established in 
various national surveys and data collection programs to provide a body 
of valid and comparable data on American libraries.

Originally published in 1968 with the title /Library Statistics/, the 
standard has evolved through its subsequent editions, culminating in an 
online data dictionary and new title in the 2004 edition. In 2008, NISO 
moved the standard from periodic to continuous maintenance and 
established the Z39.7 Standing Committee to maintain the standard.

"With the standard under continuous maintenance, users can submit 
comments and suggestions for improvements and have them evaluated by the 
Z39.7 Standing Committee biannually for possible inclusion in the 
standard," explained Nettie Lagace, NISO Associate Director for 
Programs. "When a sufficient number of changes have been accepted, a 
revision of the standard is presented for approval by the NISO Voting 
Members. This fifth edition includes all the accepted changes since the 
previous edition was published."

"The importance of addressing our digital environment with integrative 
thinking is apparent in the new standard," stated Martha Kyrillidou, 
Senior Director, ARL Statistics and Service Quality Programs, and Chair 
of the Z39.7 Standing Committee. "In addition to reformatting and better 
organization, the e-metrics that were introduced in the 2004 edition as 
a separate section have been updated and integrated into the body of the 
standard to make them easier to use. Additional data gathering tools 
were added and all survey references were updated."

"In addition to evaluating suggestions from the community, the Z39.7 
Standing Committee regularly reviews other metrics-related standards and 
best practices with an eye of continuously improving the Data 
Dictionary," said Steve Hiller, Director of Assessment and Planning, 
University of Washington Libraries, member of the Z39.7 Standing 
Committee, and incoming Chair of the International Organization for 
Standardization (ISO) Subcommittee on Quality -- Statistics and 
performance evaluation (TC464/SC8). "Currently, we are assessing the 
forthcoming revision to the ISO standard on /International library 
statistics/ (ISO 2789) for areas where the standards can be better 
aligned and for proposed new statistics and methods."

"Statistics collection is a critical process of libraries to document 
their service provision, their value, and changes in the use of 
services," states Todd Carpenter, NISO's Executive Director. "Standards 
in this area are especially important to ensure that data is 
consistently collected across time periods and also by different 
libraries so that data can be compared. Z39.7 is the key standard in the 
United States for this purpose and the current revision ensures that the 
standard remains up-to-date with the changing environment in today's 
libraries."

The Z39.7 Data Dictionary is available in open access on the NISO 
website at http://z39-7.niso.org/. A downloadable PDF version of the 
standard is also available. Users of the standard are encouraged to 
submit suggestions to the Z39.7 Standing Committee at any time. 
Information on the continuous maintenance process is available from the 
Committees' webpage at www.niso.org/workrooms/z39-7 
<http://www.niso.org/workrooms/z39-7>.