Z39.7, Information Services and Use Metrics & Statistics for Libraries and Information Providers – Data Dictionary
Just published! 2013 Edition of the Data Dictionary (ANSI/NISO Z39.7-2013)
About this Standard
Continuous Maintenance
Z39.7 Standing Committee Members
About this Standard
This standard was first published in 1968, reaffirmed in 1974, and revised in 1983, 1995, and 2004. This 2013 revision is the fifth edition of the standard.
The aim of the standard remains: to assist librarians and researchers [now defined as the information community] by indicating and defining useful quantifiable information to measure the resources and performance of libraries and to provide a body of valid and comparable data on American libraries.
The 2004 revision absorbed the de facto definitions established through the national program for collecting data about libraries (i.e., the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey program), and relevant U.S. association definitions, methods and practices of data collection. The value of this approach is that it recognizes the guidelines and best practices in the area of library statistics across the community, not only at the national survey level. It also expanded the scope to address e-metrics, measures related to electronic resources or information. With the 2004 edition, the Data Dictionary was also published as an online web document for easier use and navigation.
The 2013 version is an aggregation of all accepted comments since the previous edition as well as additional changes made by the Z39.7 Standing Committee to reflect changes in cited statistics surveys and new statistics to reflect changes for electronic documents and related services. Notable changes in the new edition are the integration of the e-metrics and the former Appendix regarding Methods of Measurement into the body of the standard to make them easier to use.
Continuous Maintenance
In 2008, at the recommendation of NISO’s Business Information Topic Committee, the standard was transferred to a continuous maintenance mode. A Z39.7 Standing Committee was formed to review comments and suggested changes on a biannual basis.
See the
Continuous Maintenance Procedures webpage
for details on the procedures for submitting comments and how comments will be handled.
Z39.7 Standing Committee Members
| Martha Kyrillidou, Chair Association of Research Libraries (ARL) |
Carlos Manjarrez Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) |
| Hulen Bivens Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) |
Kim Miller Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) |
| Julia Blixrud Association of Research Libraries (ARL) |
Doug Newcomb Special Libraries Association (SLA) |
| Dianne Carty Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners |
Mary Jane Petrowski Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) |
| Denise Davis Sacramento Public Library |
Kathy Rosa American Library Association (ALA) |
| Laura Hardesty U.S. Bureau of the Census |
Charles Stewart The City College of New York (CCNY) |
| Steve Hiller University of Washington |
Deanne Swan Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) |
| Jamie Hug U.S. Bureau of the Census |
Carl Thompson Counting Opinions |
| Keith Lance RSL Research Group |
Danny Wallace Association for Library & Information Science Education (ALISE) |