In a move that could engender significant innovation for library self-service systems, 3M Library Systems will announce on Friday that it is donating its Standard Interchange Protocol (SIP) to the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), which will now have responsibility for future development and ongoing maintenance of SIP.
SIP is the de facto standard for communication between library self-service devices and the wide variety of integrated library systems (ILS) that libraries use. It provides the crucial common language that makes possible such widespread functions as self checkouts, automated materials handling systems, PC management systems, or fine and fee payment transactions.
"We're very pleased about the partnership with 3M, a long-term member of NISO," said Todd Carpenter, NISO's executive director, adding that the arrangement was a very important sign of the stability of the protocol.