The Z39.50 communication protocol is designed to allow computer systems to interoperate for the purpose of exchanging information. In the library community, this translates into the ability to connect, search and display information from remote databases on the Internet.

The real value of this communication protocol lies in the ability to do distributed searching. As a client, you are able to simultaneously search mulitiple databases, using a single user interface. General information on the Z39.50 protocol is available at Library and Archives Canada.

Z39.50 Services Supported

• Initialization
• Scan
• Search
• Present

Server

Bib-1 Attribute Set

Author

1. Use Field: Author -- 1003
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: First in field -- 1
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: Right truncation -- 1
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

Personal, corporate, and conference names are all indexed together

1. Use Field: Title -- 4
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: First in field -- 1
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: Right truncation -- 1
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

1. Use Field: Subject -- 21
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: First in field -- 1
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: Right truncation -- 1
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

1. Use Field: Title -- 4
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: Any position in field -- 3
4. Structure: Word list -- 6
5. Truncate: No truncation -- 100
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

1. Use Field: ISBN -- 7
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: Any position in field -- 3
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: No truncation -- 100
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

1. Use Field: ISSN -- 8
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: Any position in field -- 3
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: No truncation -- 100
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1

1. Use Field: Record number -- 12
2. Relation: Equal -- 3
3. Position: First in field -- 1
4. Structure: Phrase -- 1
5. Truncate: No truncation -- 100
6. Completeness: Incomplete subfield -- 1