From: NISO <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2015 13:20:51 -0500

The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) has published a
white paper, The Future of Library Resource Discovery, written by
independent consultant, speaker, and author Marshall Breeding. The
white paper was commissioned by NISO’s Discovery to Delivery (D2D)
Topic Committee as part of its ongoing examination of areas in the
discovery landscape that the information community could potentially
standardize. Included in the paper is an overview of the current
discovery environment; descriptions of how these technologies,
methodologies, and products may be able to adapt to potential future
change; and a look beyond current models of discovery to explore
possible alternatives, especially those related to linked data.

“Marshall’s paper thoroughly fulfills D2D’s charge when we determined
that further focused exploration and analysis of the future discovery
terrain would better direct our work as a NISO Topic Committee,”
states Pascal Calarco, Associate University Librarian, Research &
Digital Discovery Services, University of Waterloo, and Chair of the
NISO Discovery to Delivery Topic Committee. “The D2D Topic Committee
focuses on issues regarding the finding and distribution of
information by and to users and, among other tasks, identifies where
new standards may provide solutions in this area and creates and
provides guidance and oversight to working groups under its purview.
We are appreciative that the paper, in addition to an extensive
background section, includes significant sections on gap analysis,
opportunities for future enhancements using various emerging
technologies, and discovery beyond library-provided interfaces, which
will provide rich material for our decisions on NISO projects in 2015
and beyond.”

“This impressive work will propel the Discovery to Delivery Topic
Committee’s and NISO’s work in the area of discovery,” observes Todd
Carpenter, NISO Executive Director. “NISO is pleased to be able to
make Marshall’s expert observations and analyses available to the
library and information community through the commission and
publication of this white paper. We expect that the community will
continue to strive to provide its users with more universal access to
diverse types of content, and this document is an important tool to
help identify areas which, if engaged in, will provide positive and
long-lasting outcomes.”

“I'm gratified that the paper will be an important contribution to
NISO's work,” said Marshall Breeding, author of the white paper, who
has also served on numerous NISO committees and working groups over
many years. “An area of interest for me in this paper’s composition
was identifying or exploring factors that may cause barriers to
discovery, examining potential methods for progress which may benefit
from additional stimulation, and detailing further opportunities to
lower thresholds of entry to support additional contributions in the
important arena of discovery services. I hope the material in the
paper will enable the Discovery to Delivery Topic Committee to further
support its important work.”

The Future of Library Resource Discovery white paper is available for
free download on the NISO website at
www.niso.org/publications/white_papers/discovery/

For more information, contact:

Nettie Lagace
NISO Associate Director for Programs
301-654-2512
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