ODI: Open Discovery Initiative

New Version of ODI Recommended Practice Now Available!

The latest Open Discovery Initiative Recommended Practice, NISO RP-19-2020, Open Discovery Initiative: Promoting Transparency in Discovery, was approved June 22 and published June 24, 2020.

ODI Overview Video Now Available

Learn the basics of ODI and how it can help you in this quick video. (Instructions for changing the language of the video's captions can be found here.)

WHAT IS IT?

  • A technical recommendation for data exchange including data formats, method of delivery, usage reporting, frequency of updates and rights of use
  • A way for libraries to assess content providers’ participation in discovery services
  • A model by which content providers work with discovery service vendors via fair and unbiased indexing and linking
  • A way to disclose and assess open discovery conformance for content providers, discovery providers, and libraries

WHY SHOULD YOU USE IT?

  • Simplifies the process of data exchange between participating discovery vendors and content providers
  • Ensures participating discovery vendors are following fair and unbiased indexing and linking practices 
  • Mitigates technical and legal issues that might hinder broader participation by content providers or potential discovery service creators 
  • Allows libraries to understand how their licensed content is included in discovery systems

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Publish your organization’s conformance statement and let ODI know its URL by emailing odi@niso.org.
 

Check out our new brochure to quickly learn more about ODI!

Now available, guides for libraries to ensure discovery services discovery services meet institutional needs! Please see Information for Libraries to Increase ODI Conformance among Vendors and Configuring Content Providers!

Also available: Implementation Guide for Content Providers

Documents

Committee Roster

Co-chairs

Ken Varnum

Senior Program Manager and Discovery Strategist
University of Michigan Library

Members

Scott Bernier

Senior Vice President, Marketing
EBSCO Information Services

Teresa Hazen

Dept Head, Collections Services
University of Arizona Libraries

Demian Katz

Director of Library Technology
Villanova University

Geoffrey Morse

Interim Head of Research Services
Northwestern University Libraries

Laura Morse

Director, Library Systems & Support
Harvard University

Julie Zhu

Manager, Discovery Service Relations, Marketing, Sales & Design
IEEE