IFLA generally uses the term “standards” to refer to the following types of documents:

  • Guidelines (documents consisting of instructions, advice and models of preferred practices)
  • Best practice (documents consisting of procedures and techniques based on experience and research)
  • Conceptual models
  • Rules for resource description
  • Digital format codes

They are developed following the IFLA Standards Procedures Manual.

Once completed and endorsed by the IFLA Professional Committee on behalf of the Governing Board, new Standards are published in the IFLA repository, announced via the news feed and included in the list of current IFLA Standards.

IFLA Standards in progress

The following IFLA Standards are in the standards review and approval process.

Standards under review

Standards reviewed and returned to the Units

Standards development in progress

Recently completed and published standards

See also the full list of current IFLA Standards.