The ANSI/NISO Z39.50 Protocol: Information Retrieval in the Information Infrastructure

Z39.50 PRODUCTS AND APPLICATIONS

The Z39.50 Maintenance Agency compiles and regularly updates a list of registered Z39.50 implementors. The list includes both commercial and nonprofit developers of products as well as organizations who have developed applications using Z39.50. Included with each entry in the registry is a brief description of their current Z39.50 efforts.

The following is a description of Z39.50 products and applications based on information provided by the implementors and the information listed in the registry of implementors. Announcements of new Z39.50 implementations now appear regularly, thus the following is not a comprehensive list. In addition, an entry in this list means that the implementor is working with Z39.50, and in some cases the products described have not yet been shipped or announced by the implementor.

Commercial Products and Information Services Providers

In the past two years, many library automation vendors have released products that include Z39.50 support. Other vendors are actively developing Z39.50 products. A number of online information service providers now support Z39.50 access to their databases.

Aball Software, Inc. 3826 W. 26th Ave., Vancouver, British Columbia V6S 1P4 Canada
Contact: Alan Ball <aball@mindlink.bc.ca>
tel: 604-224-8041

Implementing Version 2 MS-Windows/DOS-based Z39.50 client; using CNIDR API; for use with bibliographic information or text; available September 1994.

Avec Technical Services, 2261A Royal Windsor Dr., Mississauga, Ontario L5J 1K5 Canada
Contact: Steve Zweep <steve@avec.com>
tel: 905-855-2924

Developing a MS-Windows-based Z39.50 client; adding Z39.50 server support to library automation system.

Ameritech Library Services Academic Division, 1007 Church St., Evanston, IL 60201
Contact: Tom Burns <burns@notis.com>
tel: 708-866-0171

Version 2 client and server; incorporates selected Version 3 features; integrated into client/server products; Z39.50 clients for graphical interface (ProPac and WinPAC) and for character interface (TermPAC); implementation interacts with local and remote bibliographic databases; Z39.50 servers support bibliographic, full-text, and image databases (InfoShare, Dynix, PACLink, & NetPublisher).

CARL Systems, Inc., 3801 E. Florida, Suite 300, Denver, CO 80210
Contact: Thorn Roby <troby@carl.org>
tel: 303-758-3030

Version 2 client and server installed and available; Z39.50 server currently supports access to bibliographic databases from external Z39.50 client.

CDP Technologies, 333 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 10001
Contact: Mike Gursky <mgursky@cdplus.com>
tel: 212-563-3006

Developing Version 2 client and server for bibliographic applications; incorporating selected Version 3 features; Z39.50 client will be available for MS-Windows, DOS, and UNIX; developing front-end for BRS search services that will provide access to full-text and graphics.

Chemical Abstracts Service, 2540 Olentangy River Road, P.O. Box 3012, Columbus, OH 43210
Contact: Les Wibberley <lhw24@cas.org>
tel: 614-447-3600 x2330

Research project with Version 2 server for use with scientific and technical information; incorporates selected Version 3 features; experimenting with various Z39.50 clients.

Data Research Associates, Inc., 1276 North Warson Road, P.O. Box 8495, St. Louis, MO 63132-1806
Contact: Michael Mellinger <mike@dranet.dra.com>
tel: 314-432-1100

Version 2 client and server available; integrated with library systems products; MS-Windows-based Z39.50 client available soon; Motif Z39.50 client in development; offers Z39.50 access to citation databases (Open DRANET).

Endeavor Information Systems, 9700 West Higgins Road, Suite 100, Rosemont, IL 60018-4734
Contact: Jens Dill <dill@EndInfoSys.com>
tel: 415-345-2500

Version 3 client and server under development for 1995 delivery. Z39.50 being incorporated into graphical clients and into library management system server and citation server.

Knight-Ridder, Inc., 2440 El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040
Contact: David Loy <loy@dnt.dialog.com>
tel: 415-254-8352

Developing Version 3 client and server.

FS Consulting, 435 Highland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620
Contact: Francois Schiettecatte <francois@ansremote.com>
tel: 716-256-2850

Develops and installs WAIS and Z39.50 client and server applications. WAIS based on Z39.50-1988 with extensions, as defined by the IETF RFC 1625, "WAIS over Z39.50-1988." Developing implementations based on the WAIS Profile of Z39.50, Version 2.

Gaylord Information Systems, 7272 Morgan Road, Liverpool, NY 13088
Contact: Bradley McLean <brad@saturn.gaylord.com>
tel: 315-457-5070

Integrated Version 2 client and server with Version 3 and private extensions.

Geac Inc., 320 Nevada Street, Newtonville, MA 02160
Contact: Simon Kendall <s.kendall@geac.com>
tel: 617-965-6310

Version 2 client and server available in library automation system products (ADVANCE and PLUS); developing Version 3; Z39.50 graphical interface client.

Innovative Interfaces, Inc., 5850 Shellmound Street, Emeryville, CA 94608
Contact: Steve Silverstein <steve@vega.iii.com>
tel: 510-655-6200

Z39.50 client and server (Version 2); integrated as part of the INNOPAC library automation system; installed in a number of libraries.

MARCorp, 2000 Alameda de las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94403
Contact: Brent Washburne <brent@marcorp.com>
tel: 415-345-2500 x604

Version 2 client and server under development using CNIDR ZDist software; X-Window, Windows, and terminal Z39.50 clients available Fall 1994; Z39.50 server available in early 1995; focus is on library automation and multimedia management environments.

MultiLIS Division of Sobeco, Ernst & Young, 505 Rene Levesque Blvd. W., Montreal, Quebec H2Z 1Y7 Canada
Contact: Andy Marchewka <A.Marchewka@sobeco.com>
tel: 514-878-9090

Implementing Version 3 server; adding Z39.50 client to integrated library system OPAC.

OCLC, Inc., 6565 Franz Road, Dublin, OH 43017
Contact: Taylor Surface <trs@oclc.org>
tel: 614-761-5145

Version 2 client and server available in commercial package (SiteSearch); access to bibliographic files, full-text, and images; Z39.50 server implemented and provides access to OCLC's "FirstSearch Catalog" databases.

Research Libraries Group, 1200 Villa Street, Mountain View, CA 94041-1100
Contact: Bruce Washburn <bl.btw@rlg.stanford.edu>
tel: 415-691-2272

Version 2 server (Zephyr); provides access to all RLIN bibliographic, authority, and CitaDel citation databases; supports selected Version 3 features.

SilverPlatter Information, Inc., 100 River Road Dr., Norwood, MA 02062
Contact: Peter Ciuffetti <peterc@silverplatter.com>
tel: 617-769-2599

Collaborating with NOTIS (Ameritech) for Version 2 server development for Z39.50 access to SilverPlatter databases (Electronic Reference Library).

Sirsi Corporation, 689 Discovery Drive, Huntsville, AL 35806
Contact: Mike Murdock <mike@r530.sirsi.com>
tel: 205-922-9820

Version 2 server available as part of commercial integrated library automation system (Unicorn/STILAS); clients are available integrated into library system or standalone; Z39.50 clients (character and graphical interface) support Common Command Language (Z39.58); multiple protocol client (VIZION) supports Z39.50; graphical interface client available for MS-Windows.

Taliesin Software Research, 280 Linfield Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Contact: Stuart Soffer <73063.2604@compuserve.com>
tel: 415-473-0100 fax: 415-473-0101

Version 2 server and UNICODE-enabled, multi-threaded, multi-protocol gateway as a native Windows NT service. Graphical user interface for server management. Designed for OEM integration or library developer integration to external databases. Under development, Z39.50 Version 3, ODBC interface and more. Consulting services for Z39.50, Microsoft WIN32 API, Windows NT and Windows 95 environments are also available.

TRW Business Intelligence Systems; ESL Inc., a TRW Company; 495 Java Drive, P.O. Box 3510, Sunnyvale, CA 94088-3510
Contact: Denis Lynch <dml@esl.com>
tel: 408-743-6318

Version 2 client available; incorporates selected Version 3 features; available for Windows, Macintosh, Unix, and Windows/NT platforms.

VTLS, Inc., 1800 Kraft Drive, Blacksburg, VA 24060
Contact: Todd Perry <perryt@vtls.com>
tel: 703-231-3605

Version 2 client and server available; Version 3 support intended; Z39.50 client runs under Windows, releases planned for Macintosh and OS/2; developed Z39.50 interface to World Wide Web/Mosaic.

WAIS, Inc., 1040 Noel Drive, Menlo Park, CA 94025
Contact: Margaret St.Pierre <saint@wais.com>
tel: 415-327-WAIS

Existing products are based on Z39.50-1988 with extensions, as defined by the IETF RFC 1625, "WAIS over Z39.50-1988;" new products are based on the WAIS Profile of Z39.50-V2 and the Application Profile for the Government Information Locator Service (GILS), and provide backward-compatibility.

Public Domain Products

To assist in the development of Z39.50 implementations, several organizations offer source code for both Z39.50 clients and servers.

Clearinghouse for Networked Information Discovery and Retrieval (CNIDR), 3021 Cornwallis Rd., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2889
Contact: Jim Fullton <jim.fullton@cnidr.org>
tel: 919-248-9247

Version 2 client and server implemented. Provides API for Z39.50 client and server development (called ZDist); Z39.50 gateway to World Wide Web/Mosaic; provider of freeWais code based on Z39.50-1988.

Available via anonymous FTP at <ftp.cnidr.org> as /pub/NIDR.tools/zdist/

Florida Center for Library Automation, Suite 320, 2002 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, FL 32609
Contact: Mark Hinnebusch <fclmth@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu>
tel: 904-392-9020

Version 2 client and server implemented; incorporating Version 3 features; Z39.50 server sources are bibliographic, full-text, and image servers; the FCLA code, AccessFlorida, is in the public domain.

Available via anonymous FTP at <sally.fcla.ufl.edu> in directory /pub/af.

National Library of Canada, Information Technology Services, 395 Wellington St., Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N4 Canada
Contact: Fay Turner <fay.turner@nlc-bnc.ca>
tel: 819-994-6830

Version 2 client and server public domain toolkit available; Z39.50 client is system independent software that can be ported for use with DOS, MS-Windows, OS/2, Macintosh, and X-Windows; includes CanSearch, a client application for MS-Windows. NLC is developing AMICUS, a bibliographic and information system using Version 2 that will be operational in 1995.

Available via anonymous FTP at <ftp.nlc-bnc.ca> as /public/irtool/

Stanford University, Jordan Quadrangle, Polya Hall, Room 115, Stanford, CA 94305-4136
Contact: Harold Finkbeiner <harold@forsythe.stanford.edu>
tel: 415-725-3353

Version 2 client API available free to not-for-profit applications; incorporates selected Version 3 features; developing Z39.50 server API

University of Washington Information Systems, 4545 15th Ave. N.E., Seattle, WA 98105
Contact: Willow Project <willow@cac.washington.edu>
tel: 206-685-7416

Version 2 client support (based on the Stanford code) in X-Windows/Motif graphical interface client called Willow; MS-Windows version expected late 1994.

Available via anonymous FTP from <ftp.cac.washington.edu> in pub/willow. Additional information on Willow also available via WWW at http://www.cac.washington.edu/willow/home.html

Implementations and Applications

Other organizations are implementing Z39.50 for local use. Many of these implementations have Z39.50 servers that are accessible by external Z39.50 clients.

Acadia University, Computer Center, Wolfville, Nova Scotia B0P 1X0 Canada
Contact: Stephen MacNeil <stephen.macneil@acadiau.ca>
tel: 902-542-2200 x1237

Version 2 server implementation for library catalog.

AT&T, Room 3D-591, 600 Mountain Ave., Murray Hill, NJ 07974
Contact: Robert Waldstein <wald@library.att.com>
tel: 908-582-6171

Version 2 client and server implemented for AT&T library for internal use by AT& T employees; supports selected Version 3 features; software involved has a general AT&T academic release license.

Carnegie Mellon University, Hamburg Hall, Room 3025, 5000 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Contact: Parviz Dousti <dousti@andrew.cmu.edu>
tel: 412-268-6405

Developing Version 2 client and server; alpha Motif Z39.50 client operational; developing Z39.50/Mosaic gateway.

Dartmouth College, H.B. 6028, Hanover, NH 03755
Contact: Eric Bivona <eric.bivona@dartmouth.edu>
tel: 603-646-1415

Version 2 client for access to remote Z39.50 servers for both bibliographic and non-bibliographic information.

Library of Congress, Network Development and MARC Standards Office, Collection Services, Washington, DC 20540-4020
Contact: Larry Dixson <ldix@loc.gov>
tel: 202-707-5807

Version 2 client and server; Z39.50 server sources contain bibliographic and authority records; Z39.50 client for local users searching remote and local databases for copy cataloging.

MIT Information Systems, 1 Amherst St., E40-349, Cambridge, MA 02139
Contact: William Cattey <wdc@mit.edu>
tel: 617-253-0140

Implementing Version 2 client using API code from Stanford University and incorporated by MIT into the Willow search/retrieval client; see entry for University of Washington Information Systems for further information and availability.

Penn State University Library Computer Services, E8 Pattee Library, University Park, PA 16802
Contact: Eric Ferrin <egf@psulias.psu.edu>
tel: 814-865-1818

Version 2 client and server; supports selected Version 3 features; initial implementation for bibliographic and citation databases; initiating use for cataloging.

University of California, Division of Library Automation, Office of the President, 300 Lakeside Drive, Oakland, CA 94612-3550
Contact: Clifford Lynch <calur@uccmvsa.ucop.edu>
tel: 510-987-0522

Version 2 client and server; graphical interface Z39.50 client under development; Z39.50 server sources are bibliographic databases on the UC MELVYL information system.

University of California at Berkeley, IST, 289 Evans Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
Contact: Margaret Baker <margaret@garnet.berkeley.edu>
tel: 510-642-5601

Version 2 client and server; client implemented in Infocal, a campus-wide information system for distribution of full-text with graphics and sound still under development; Z39.50 client provides public remote access on an experimental basis to UC MELVYL and Penn State University's online library information systems (LIAS).

University of Texas at Austin, General Libraries, P.O. Box P, Austin, TX 78713-7330
Contact: Curtis Ohlendorf <llcgo@utxdp.dp.utexas.edu>
tel: 512-495-4387

Implementing Version 2 server using National Library of Canada software; test implementation for accessing online catalog.

University of Wisconsin -- Madison, 1210 W. Dayton St., Madison, WI 53706
Contact: Curt Ellmann <curt.ellmann@mail.admin.wisc.edu> tel: 608-263-7132

Version 2 server using National Library of Canada software; implementation for accessing online catalog; incorporating selected Version 3 features; intending to add Z39.50 client to existing graphical interfaces.