Contents
[hidetoc]WHAT ARE STANDARDS?
A standard (or "specification") attempts to assure consistency and compatibility among similar products or processes. Standards are usually written by government bodies, industrial organizations, or business; thus some standards are government-mandated while others are voluntary.
Citing Standards
A standards citation is generally composed of three parts: (1) the sponsoring agency's name or a code, (2) an identifying publication number, and (3) the year adopted or revised (often only the last two digits). Examples:
- ANSI B72.7-1971
- ANSI/SMPTE 4-1995
- IP 75/69
- FSPT DT-5-1966
Agency Abbreviations
Use these sites to identify standards organizations or agencies:- NASA Links to Technical Standards Organizations
- NSSN: A National Resource for Global Standards Formerly the National Standard System Network, this is a comprehensive searchable database on developing and approved national, foreign, regional, and international standards and regulatory documents
- Sources for Standards and Specifications A list of contacts from The Barcode Software Center
- WWW Search Engines Search the WWW, entering "standards organizations" or "standards developing organizations"
Print Sources Available in the University Library
- Acronyms, Initialisms and Abbreviations Dictionary REF PE1693 .G3
- Yearbook of International Organizations REF JX1904 .A42 includes descriptions of organizations' activities
STANDARDS ACTIVITY
A few guides to standardization activities exist. Also, many of the links to organizations found in the sources above will give information on the activities of each organization.
- Associations Unlimited
and the print version, Encyclopedia of Associations
REF HS17 .G332 Identifies associations and organizations in an interest area, including many that create standards
Print Sources Available in the University Library
- International Standards Desk Reference HF1416 .Z78 Describes international activity, organizations and landmark standards
IDENTIFYING STANDARDS
National Standards
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) nonprofit organization which serves as a national clearinghouse and provides a way for developing and approving standards supported by national consensus. Membership is from nation-wide trade, technical, professional and labor groups; commerce and industry; government; consumer and similar groups
Print Sources Available in the University Library
- Catalog of American National Standards REF T59 .U5 This is the subject index to ANSI-adopted standards. The Library does not own a complete set of ANSI standards but can request individual standards through Interlibrary Loan.
- American National Standards for Safety and Health (ANSI) REF HV676.A1 A5x A sub-set, indexed in ANSI's catalog, above
- Annual Book of ASTM Standards REF TA401 .A653 The American Society of Testing and Materials provides standards that are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems, and commercial transactions. The online version, ASTM Standards is no longer available due to budgetary considerations. Please use the print version in the library
Voluntary Standards
- Voluntary Product Standards Program U.S. Dept. of Commerce
Mandatory Standards
Mandatory standards are governmental in origin, though they may have been adopted from one or more voluntary standards.- U.S. Government Information Standards & Specifications from Yale Social Science Libraries
- Index of Federal Specifications, Standards U.S. General Services Administration; Alphabetic, numeric and classed lists of specifications, standards and qualified products used throughout federal government
- Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) a link to the Scientific and Technical Information Network (STINFO) at the U.S. Dept. of Defense. Instructions for ordering can be found at the Department of Defense Single Stock Point (DODSSP)
Regulatory Standards
Many government agencies issue standards as regulations or separate publications.
Finding these is hard. Standards issued as regulations are published in
the Federal Register
and the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR). The full text CFR is also available on
Lexis
Nexis: Academic
Calling the local office of the agency or searching the Monthly Catalog
of United States Government Publications, available on the Internet
via
FirstSearch, may be productive. Choose GPO
from the list of databases.
NIST STANDARDS INFORMATION SERVICE
The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology Information Service (formerly the National Bureau of Standards) will provide free lists of standards from a key-word index and will supply names of agencies from which copies can be obtained. Much of their data is available under the Standard Reference Data Program.FINDING STANDARDS
Standards are acquired either in sets or individually. To find one, check the Stout Library Catalog under both the name of the issuing agency and its initials. Look for collective titles -- standards, recommendations, specifications, practices, etc. -- and for the individual title (if you know it).Union Lists
You may wish to use the standards collections in other Wisconsin libraries. Identify many of these by using Wiscat, the union catalog of many Wisconsin academic and public libraries, or try:WorldCat
Interlibrary Loan
Many standards not owned by the library can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan. Inquire at the Reference Desk.SELECTIVE LIST OF STANDARDS
This is a selective list of some of the standards in the library (and their web sites) which are most useful for UW-Stout's programs. There are many other standards in the library; check the Stout Library Catalog under the sponsoring agency's name. In addition, many of the associations below publish other standards than those listed. Again, check the Stout Library Catalog for a complete record of our holdings.
- AACC--American Association of Cereal Chemists
- AATCC--American Association
of Textile Chemists and Colorists
AATCC Technical Manual REF TP890 .A5 (library keeps latest year) - AIA--American
Institute of Architects
Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards TH2031 .A84 - AITC--American
Institute of Timber Construction
Timber Construction Manual TA666 .T47 - ANSI--American National
Standards Institute
American National Standards for Safety and Health REF HV676.A1 A5x (continuously revised) - ASTM--American
Society for Testing and Materials
Annual Book of ASTM Standards REF TA401 .A653 (see above online site in the "Identifying Standards" section for the latest standards)
Compilation of ASTM Standard Definitions REF TA402 .C65 - AWS--American Welding
Society
Standard Symbols for Welding ... TS227.2 .A88x - BOCA See ICC BOCA Basic Energy Conservation Code KF5701 .B78 (library keeps latest edition)
- CFR--Code of Federal Regulations
- ICC--International
Code Council
International Building Code REF K3538 .I58 - IEEE--Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
IEEE Standards REF TK275 .I5x Index to IEEE Standards is Standard Products Catalog REF TK275 .I52x - IEEE Explore contains full text documents from IEEE journals, transactions, magazines, letters, conference proceedings, standards, and IET (Institution of Engineering and Technology) publications
- IESNA--Illuminating Engineering Society of North America
- IETF--Internet Engineering Task Force Internet standards
- IFI--Industrial Fasteners Institute Fastener Standards TJ1320 .F24 1988
- IFT--Institute of Food Technologists Standards can be found in their journal, Food Technology
- ISO--International
Organization for Standardization Includes links to other international
standards agencies and to many national standardization bodies ISO
9000 TS156 .I69x
ISO 9000 (2000) Translated Into Plain English - NAS--National Academy of Science Institute
of Medicine
Food Chemicals Codex REF TP455 .F66 - NBS--National Bureau of Standards (Now NIST: National Institute of Standards & Technology under the Dept. of Commerce) Search the Stout Library Catalog using either National Bureau of Standards or National Institute of Standards and Technology to locate several standards in the library
- NFPA--National Fire
Protection Association
National Electrical Code REF TK260 .N45
National Fire Codes REF TH9115 .N3 (library keeps latest edition)
- NSF--National Sanitation
Foundation
Food Service Equipment and related standards REF R565.A1 N3x - OSHA--Occupational Safety & Health Administration
Occupational Safety & Health Reporter (continuously revised) REF KF3569.36 .O25x
- SAE--Society
of Automotive Engineers
SAE Handbook REF TL151 .S62 (library keeps latest edition) - TAPPI - Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry
Tappi Test Methods - CD ROM REF TS1109 .T274
Other Print Standards Available in the University Library
- Time-Saver Standards for Architectural Design Data REF TH151 .T551997
- Time-Saver Standards for Building Types REF NA2760 .D42 1990
- Time-Saver Standards for Housing and Residential Development
REF NA9051 .T55 1995
- Time-Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning
REF NK2110 .D35 1991
- Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture REF SB475.9.S72 T551998
WWW Search Engines
The search engines that are available on the WWW vary in depth and coverage. Explore the search options to find relevant WWW sites. For a list of available search engines and WWW directories, e.g. Google or Yahoo, use Searching the Web from the Library Home Page.
Citations
To cite online resources in appropriate bibliographic style see: Citing Resources
To organize citations and create bibliographies and papers in APA, MLA and other styles see: RefWorks and Other Citation Management Tools
Last Updated: 06/13/2008 and Last Revised: 3/30/2008
Contact Denise Madland for more information or help on this topic.