Electronic Data Interchange: An Overview of EDI Standards for Libraries (1993)

6. EDI Partners for Libraries

To adopt and implement EDI to support their purchasing operations, libraries cannot act in isolation. The process of acquiring materials requires that libraries enter into business arrangements with other members of the book and serial industry. As well, they need to work with the groups developing EDI standards to ensure these standards meet their requirements. Lastly, libraries are dependent on the vendors of automated library systems to provide them with systems to support their operations.

6.1 Book and Serials Industry Groups

Recently, the value of a common international standard to support the purchasing process by the publishing and library sector has been recognized. As a result, many of these book and serial industry groups are committing themselves to support for the UN/EDIFACT formats. While this transition may not occur overnight, the commitment to international standardization is encouraging.

6.1.1 North America

6.1.1.1 BISAC

In the early 1970's, BISAC developed a format primarily intended for use with magnetic tape exchange that became widely used in the book industry to support electronic ordering. However the limitations of this fixed field format lead BISAC top adopt the ANSI X12 format. This would provide publishers with the ability to carry out EDI-based transactions with sectors other than the book industry. This was particularly important for book retailers which often stock many items other than books in their stores such as greeting cards and videotapes (Mutter, 1990).

Since 1989, BISAC has been working to develop mappings between the X12 transaction sets to the data elements used in the book industry and to develop specialized data elements to meet the book industry's needs. Currently transaction sets for purchase orders, purchase order acknowledgment, invoice and advance shipping notice have been approved. In the U.S., Purchase Order/Purchase Order Acknowledgement and/or Invoice have been implemented by Login Brothers Book Co., Random House, Simon and Schuster, and Waldenbooks, among others.

A recent development within BISAC is an agreement to move toward support of the UN/EDIFACT standard formats by 1997. This is in line with the decision made by ASC X12 to merge the ANSI X12 formats with the EDIFACT formats following the release of X12 version 4 in 1994. Version 5 of X12 scheduled for 1997 will be an amalgamation of X12 and EDIFACT formats.

BISAC is also involved in other aspects of standardization in the book industry including the use of bar codes and the use of International Standardized Book Numbers (ISBNs).

For more information on BISAC activities contact:

6.1.1.2 CTA/CBISAC

CBISAC, the Canadian Book Industry Systems Advisory Committee, was established in September 1989. CBISAC has a close liaison with BISAC in the U.S. and has made significant contributions to the development of the ANSI X12 data formats for purchase orders, purchase order acknowledgments, and invoices.

CBISAC has also been working to solve other problems associated with implementing EDI in the book industry. Recognizing that in order to implement EDI, members of the book industry need to be capable of transmitting and receiving X12 data over a Value-Added Network (VAN), CBISAC evaluated the various EDI VANs available in the marketplace and recommended a VAN to be used by the Canadian book industry. This group is also working to increase support for EDI within the publishing industry and to educate publishers, librarians and library systems vendors as to what is required to support EDI-based purchasing.

In 1992, CBISAC evaluated the translation software available in the marketplace and has applied to the Canadian government for funding to make the software available to everyone in the book industry for a reasonable price. Many small publishers cite cost as a deterrent to implementing EDI, therefore third-party assistance may provide the necessary impetus to bring more publishers "on-line". As libraries also require translation software to transmit the data in X12 format, they would benefit from this initiative as well.

CBISAC is also working to align the formats for books and serials. A potential problem for library software vendors arises from the fact that separate transaction sets are currently required for serials and for monographs. The various parties will be need to find a workable solution to handle this problem.

CBISAC is also working with publishers and wholesalers by assisting them in the development of test implementations .

For more information contact:

6.1.1.3 SISAC

Librarians have traditionally been more involved in the serials standardization activities within SISAC than in the activities of BISAC. This may be due to fact that the processing of serials involves unique transactions such as check-in and claiming that are handled by libraries.

Since its inception in 1982, SISAC has focussed on three areas (Serials industry Systems Advisory Committee (brochure).

1. Standardization of formats to allow for the computer-to-computer transmission of all business transactions for the serials industry.
   In 1990, SISAC recognized the value of work in BISAC to develop ASC X12 formats for the book industry and decided to move in the same direction. Five SISAC subcommittees were established to develop ASC X12 subsets for orders, order acknowledgement, claims, cancellations and invoices. The work of these subcommittees is reviewed and commented on by the entire SISAC membership.

2. Automation of serials check-in circulation and control in libraries through standardized machine-readable coding to identify specific issues if serials.
   This led to the formulation of the Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI) standard (ANSI/NISO Z39.56 (1991) and the machine-readable encodation of the standard known as the SISAC Bar Code Symbol.

3. Standardization of coding of contributions within serials to facilitate the payment of royalties and the identification and retrieval of an article in full-text and bibliographic databases.

Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI)

Also known as American National Standard for Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (ANSI/NISO Z39.56-1991), the SICI begins with the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) and includes information composed of the date (chronology) and the volume issue numbers (enumeration). Identification is extended down to the article level by adding a location number, the title information, and a record validation character (Publishers' Technical Advisory Subcommittee of SISAC, the Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee, 1992). The structure of the SICI is illustrated in Figure 6.1.

This standard provides a human-readable identifier which is readily derived from bibliographic information. It can be used to identify a specific issue of a serial title in automated check-in systems and to communicate dispatch, claim, or single issue order information. The contribution level portion of SICI can be used in the interlibrary loan/document delivery process to identify the individual articles required. The SISAC Document Delivery Task Force focuses on the use of the contribution identifier portionof the SICI for document delivery applications. Other applications for the SICI at the contribution level include:

• accessioning and checking of articles
• claiming of missing issues
• royalty payments
• invoices
• on-line retrieval
• links to bit-mapped images
• electronic tracking of orders

Figure 6.1 - Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI) (40K)

The SISAC Bar Code Symbol

It is important to note that the human-readable SICI code and the machine readable SISAC Bar Code Symbol are not identical as the bar code does not include the Serial Contribution Identifier portion of the SICI.

Major publishers including Academic Press, Balliere Tindal, Kluwer, Taylor & Francis and John Wiley and Sons, have begun printing the SISAC Bar Code Symbol on the covers of their publications (Paul, 1993). As well, library systems vendors are beginning to develop Code 128 scanner interfaces for automated check-in systems. This will allow libraries to use the SISAC symbol for the automated check-in of serials titles and thereby reduce processing costs. This reduction in processing costs will be welcomed by librarians trying to rationalize increasing serials costs and shrinking budgets.

The SISAC Bar Code Symbol:

• quickly identifies a particular item at hand

• once printed on a serial cover, provides a unique imprint which can be used at all stages in the distribution of the publication.

• permits fast and accurate checking of subscription items by library systems prepared to accept it

Other Work Items

For more information on SISAC activities contact:

6.1.1.4 CSISAC

In 1991/92 CSISAC worked to develop X12 message formats specific to the serials industry and contributed to the development of the X12 Purchase Order for serials being developed by SISAC. CSISAC has also adopted Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI) and the SISAC Bar Code Symbol for use in Canada. They are promoting the use of these standards and have identified three Canadian bar code suppliers capable of producing the bar code representation of the SICI. As well some Canadian publishers, including the National Research Council of Canada and Micromedia have begun printing the SICI symbol on their publications.

CSISAC has also initiated work with CBISAC and SISAC to align book and serials formats. The current formats for book and serials orders are different as they were developed by different groups with different perceived requirements. However, the acquisitions modules of library systems will need to support the electronic ordering and invoicing for both books and serials. As these two groups have traditionally operated quite separately and support separate formats, merging the two formats is a significant undertaking.

Efforts are also being made by CSISAC, in conjunction with CBISAC, to have library systems vendors include support for EDI ordering in the acquisition modules of their integrated library systems. In Canada, one vendor is testing this capability in an academic library. Laurentian University Library is working with MultiLIS/SOBECO to implement an EDI-based acquisitions module.

CSISAC's future direction is to address the technical standards affecting the production, distribution, acquisition and retrieval of serial publications. These areas of activity adhere logically to the serials production cycle. EDI is viewed strategically as a means of delivering serial publications faster, more accurately and more efficiently.

For more information on CSISAC activities contact:

6.1.2 European Activities

6.1.2.1 BEDIS

BEDIS has also worked to develop mechanisms to convert from the Tradacoms format to the ANSI X12 format used by BISAC in the U.S. and CBISAC in Canada. In 1991, BEDIS and Book Trade Electronic Communications Committee were merged to form Book Industry Communication or BIC.

6.1.2.2 BIC

After two years of operations, BIC has established working parties actively engaged in area of EDI standardization and established liaison with both BISAC and CBISAC. It is expected that BIC will also follow BISAC in its recent commitment to the adoption of UN/EDIFACT standards.

For more information on BIC activities contact:

6.1.2.3 EDItEUR

The terms of reference for EDItEUR were adopted in September 1992 during the Frankfurt Book Fair:

To co-ordinate the development, promotion and implementation of EDI in the European book sector by:

• ·describing, agreeing and maintaining industry-specific subsets of EDIFACT and registering them with the EDIFACT Reference Center

• ·considering the necessary infrastructure (bar codes, international standard address numbers, communication protocols, etc) for international book sector EDI

• ·encouraging the exchange of EDIFACT-based commercial messages between book sector organizations in all European countries

• ·promoting and publicizing the benefits of EDI using standard formats to all parts of the book industry (publishers, booksellers, and libraries)

• ·liaising with suppliers of computers systems used by libraries, publishers and booksellers

• ·coordinating activities with sectorial groups (e.g. retail, distribution, printing, paper)

• ·ensuring the widest possible dissemination of information on the EDItEUR group, its activities, notices and minutes of decisive meetings, reports etc.

EDItEUR has established liaisons with the European Bookseller's Association (GALC), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and The European Bureau of Librarian and Documentalist Associations (EBLIDA). As well, all the major European providers of book industry EDI services are represented on the EDItEUR steering committee.

Current Activities

EAN's EDIFACT-based formats have been developed as part of the EANCOM project supported by TEDIS since 1988. EDItEUR will work with EANCOM to develop a set of book-trade specific code values. As well, EANCOM publishes technical manuals and other materials to support the implementation of the EANCOM standards. As some EANCOM formats are already in use in the retail sector, they have the advantage of being tried and tested in an implementation environment (EDItEUR Newsletter, March 1993).

EDItEUR has also recognized that system suppliers to the book trade will play a key role in facilitating and speeding up the adoption of EDI in the book industry. EDItEUR is working to identify system suppliers in EC countries and create a directory of software suppliers that will be made available to book industry organizations interested in purchasing EDI software. As well, book trade organizations in Europe will be asked to specify support for the EANCOM formats in their requirements.

For more information contact:

6.1.2.4 International Publishers Association

For more information contact:

6.1.2.5 ICEDIS

ICEDIS has developed an implementation of the X12 856 (Ship Notice/Manifest) transaction set which publishers and subscription agents use to exchange dispatch information. This information indicates when specific issues have been shipped and can indicate when a specific serial is ready for shipment. As well this transaction set uses the Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI) to identify serial issues (International Committee on Electronic Data Interchange for Serials, 1992).

Members of ICEDIS including Faxon, Kluwer Academic Publishers and EBSCO Subscription Services have implemented the 856 transaction set. Having dispatch data available on-line is useful to reduce the number of premature claims processed by publishers and subscription agents. For example, Faxon clients are able to access this data on-line before they send a claim. Other ICEDIS members including Elsevier, Royal Society of Chemistry, Taylor and Francis, Pergamon and John Wiley are working to begin sending dispatch data to Faxon in this format (Information Standards Quarterly. 1992).

One of the problems that ICEDIS is working to solve is the way in which serials prices are set and communicated to buyers. Prices tend to be dynamic and in some cases have not been set when the items are ordered. Members of ICEDIS are developing an implementation of the X12 832 (Price/Sales Catalog) transaction set for exchanging prices between publishers and agents which they hope to implement in 1994 (Santosuosso, 1992).

As the 856 transaction set incorporates the SICI Identifier, this initiative by Faxon and Kluwer is the first time that the SICI standard has been used as part of an X12-based transaction.

For more information contact:

6.1.2.6 The Working Group of European Librarians and Publishers (ELP)

The group which includes librarians and publishers from across Europe and representatives from other international library and publishers associations such as the International Group of STM Publishers and IFLA, attempts to focus on a variety of problems facing European library and publishing community and attempt to formulate coordinated solutions to these problems. The group meets annually or semi-annually to discuss these issue and develop coordinated solutions. These solutions are formulated into 'Joint Statements" which are widely publicized by the group.

In 1989, the group published a statement entitled One World of Information: OSI and EDI which recommended that publishers, libraries and booksellers stage a European effort to explore the potential of the combined use of X.400 electronic mail and EDIFACT messages (Journal of Information Sciecne, 1990). This recommendation provided much of the impetus for the German EDILIBE project described in Section 6.4.

6.2 Publishers and Subscription Agents

6.2.1 Publishers

6.2.2 Subscription Agents

A number of these subscription agencies or jobbers have also recognized the value of exchanging data between libraries, publishers and themselves using standardized formats and hence have been very active in the EDI arena. In 1989 the Faxon Company initiated an ASC X12 pilot project to test the merit of using X12 for subscription orders and claims and to quantify and qualify the costs of EDI implementation (Schwartz, 1991). The pilot tested the exchange of ANSI X12 address, cancellations, claims, and claim responses with publishers including Wiley, Royal Society of Chemistry, National Research Council of Canada, Pergamon, Plenum and Kluwer (SISAC, 1990).

For the purpose of the pilot, FAXON chose to communicate directly with the publishers rather than rely on the services of a Value-Added Network. Another component of the project was developing the encoding for a claim message. Also, PC-based translation software package was used to translate the data into X12 format.

Faxon is also participating in a project to streamline their serials processing on a college library by linking their library automation system directly with Faxon. There are plans to transmit serial claims directly from their library system (Innovative Interfaces) to Faxon in ANSI X12 format. An EDI translation package called EDI/EDGE will be used to convert the claims data into the X12 format. Once the exchange of claims data is established the partners will work to exchange claims responses and invoices in the same manner (Library Hi Tech News, 1992). Faxon is also using EDI to communicate with Kluwer Academic Publishers. Faxon transmits dispatch data (X12 Transaction Set 856 for Dispatch Data) with the SICI used to identify the periodical dispatched. Supplying dispatch data reduces the number of claims required and improves the service that Faxon provides to its clients.

EBSCO Subscription Services, a serials vendor, has been active in the EDI arena for many years. EBSCO has contributed to the activities of both SISAC and CSISAC and recognizes the economic gains that can be accrued form operating in a standards-based environment. EBSCO has adopted the X12.856 transaction set for dispatch data as approved by ICEDIS and is using the format to transmit data on EBSCONET, their ordering network. EBSCO is also testing the format invoices and claims and plans to begin using these formats on EBSCONET in the near future. EBSCO is also looking at ways to use the Internet to support their ordering and serials control operations.

6.3 Automated Library System Vendors

Considerable effort on the part of book and serial industry groups has lead to the development of standardized formats to support EDI transactions. As well, translation software that converts existing data into standardized format is available. However, the data once transmitted to libraries must be processed by the receiving library. Library systems vendors are required to provide libraries with systems to support the transmission of standardized EDI transactions in an efficient and transparent manner.

Experience to date has indicated that library systems vendors are reluctant to develop EDI-based modules for their systems. As vendors have made considerable investments in their existing systems, they are reluctant to invest in changes or upgrade these systems without a guaranteed market for the completed product. While library vendors are beginning to implement X12 messaging for acquisitions, it often takes the form of a poorly integrated add-on to the library's existing system. Several vendors have made public commitments to provide support for ANSI X12-based ordering in their next releases.

6.4 International Projects

6.4.1 EDILIBE Project

The overall objectives of the project are:

• to demonstrate the feasibility, efficiency and usefulness of EDIFACT for the data interchange between libraries and booksellers

• initiate the standardization process for EDIFACT standard messages

• define a core subset of functions for the acquisitions process that can be built on EDIFACT

• encourage the development of a market for EDI products and services for libraries and booksellers

• develop expertise in EDI among libraries and booksellers

The project consists of two phases, the first of which was completed at the end of 1991. Phase 1 of the study was based on work carried out by the Stadt-und Universitatsbibliothek in Frankfurt, Germany and resulted in: