From: Cynthia Hodgson <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2013 10:25:50 -0400

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) is seeking
comments on the draft recommended practice Open Discovery Initiative:
Promoting Transparency in Discovery. Launched in 2012, the NISO Open
Discovery Initiative (ODI) aims to facilitate increased transparency
in the content coverage of index-based discovery services and to
recommend consistent methods of content exchange. This draft
recommended practice provides specific guidelines for content
providers on metadata elements, linking, and technical formats, and
for discovery service providers on content listings, linking, file
formats, methods of transfer, and usage statistics. The document also
provides background information on the evolution of discovery and
delivery technology and a standard set of terminology and definitions
for this technology area.

“An increasing number of libraries, especially those that serve
academic or research institutions, have invested in index-based
discovery services as a strategic interface to all their resources,”
states Marshall Breeding, an independent library consultant and
Co-chair of the ODI Working Group. “These libraries expect their
uniquely licensed and purchased electronic content to be made
available within their discovery service of choice. But it is often
not clear which resources are available, which are indexed in full
text, by citations only, or both, and whether the metadata derives
from aggregated databases or directly through the full text. Libraries
deserve a clear explanation of the degree of availability of their
content in the available discovery services and they need usage
statistics for access from the discovery tool.”

“The domain of index-based discovery services involves a complex
ecosystem of interrelating issues and interests among content
providers, libraries, and discovery service creators,” explains Jenny
Walker, an independent consultant and Co-chair of the ODI Working
Group. “The increasing use of indexed search as a primary means for
library patrons to discover and access licensed content brings with it
new requirements for industry practices that will ensure consistent
provision of metadata, unbiased linking to source material, and
neutrality of algorithms for generating result sets, relevance
rankings, and link order. Specific guidelines around these issues are
given in the ODI Recommended Practice.”

“In addition to the recommendations in the current draft, the ODI
Working Group has identified a number of actions for future work,”
states Nettie Lagace, NISO Associate Director for Programs. “NISO
plans to support this follow-up effort to address such issues as
collaborative discussion mechanisms, application programming
interfaces, handling of restricted content, on-demand lookup, and
interaction with COUNTER about usage statistics related to discovery
services.”

The draft recommended practice is open for public comment through
November 18, 2013. To download the draft or submit online comments,
visit the Open Discovery Initiative webpage at:
www.niso.org/workrooms/odi/.

Cynthia Hodgson
Technical Editor / Consultant
National Information Standards Organization
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