[Asis-l] NISO to hold workshops on OpenURL and Metasearching

[Cynthia Hodgson]

NISO To Hold Workshops on OpenURL and Metasearching

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) 
announces two one-day workshops, to be held October 29-30, 
2003, on "The Next Generation of Access: OpenURL and 
Metasearch." These two leading standards initiatives 
promise to re-shape information access for all actors in 
the information delivery equation?publisher, aggregator, 
librarian, student, scholar and author.

Day 1, October 29, is devoted to "Open URL: Demystifying 
Link Resolution." Directed to librarians, publishers and 
vendors, this workshop will help attendees understand how 
the Open URL standard and other linking initiatives 
support a rich linking environment that enhances the value 
and usability of information products. The workshop will 
explain link resolvers and knowledge databases, and the 
respective roles of content providers, librarians, and 
vendors in implementing the current standard. An update 
from NISO members on new standards and guidelines will 
help attendees plan for future enhancements and suggest 
how they can encourage and participate in new 
developments. 

Day 2, October 30, will address "Metasearch: What It Is 
Now, What It Could Be, and How Standards Can Help Us Get 
There." Whether you are an expert or a novice, this 
workshop will give you a deeper understanding of the 
metasearch services now on the market and provide an 
overview of pending developments. ILS vendors, online 
service providers, metasearch producers, and librarians 
will present their views. The metasearch implementation 
process and impact on the library and its users will be 
discussed. NISO members who are involved in new metasearch 
standards initiatives will describe how their efforts to 
produce guidelines, identify best practices, and develop 
new standards will help address current concerns.

On both days, sponsors will exhibit and provide 
information about their relevant services. Additional 
information about the workshops, including detailed 
agendas, is posted on the NISO website at 
<http://www.niso.org/news/events_workshops/MS-2003_workshop.html>. 
Pre-reading workshop papers, intended to spark attendees? 
thinking, will be available after October 15 on the 
website.

The meeting will be held at the American Geophysical Union 
(AGU) located at 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. 
One day registration fee is $199 for NISO members and $259 
for nonmembers. Two day registration fee is $359 for 
members and $499 for nonmembers. This fee covers lunch, 
breaks, handouts, and the facilities charges. An Early 
Bird registration discount of $20 is available to those 
who register by September 30, 2003. The registration form 
can be accessed online at 
<http://www.niso.org/news/events_workshops/MS-03-registration.pdf>.

Cynthia Hodgson
National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
4733 Bethesda Avenue, Suite 300
Bethesda, MD  20814-5248
T. 301-654-2512, F. 301-654-1721
www.niso.org