1. A computer-to-computer communications protocol designed to support searching and retrieval of information (full text documents, bibliographic data, images, and multimedia) from databases in a distributed network environment. 2. The identification number for "Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol Specifications for Library Applications", an ANSI standard adopted in 1988 and revised in 1995.
A standard Information Retrieval Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification (ANSI/NISO Z39.50-2003) that defines an application protocol for search and retrieval of information in databases.
An ANSI/NISO standard protocol for system-to-system search and retrieval. Also International Standard, ISO 23950 "Information Retrieval (Z39.50): Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification." This standard is commonly used for the interchange of information in library catalogs and other databases.
A data protocol that allows disparate databases to communicate with each other.
Z39.50 is a standard communications protocol for the search and retrieval of bibliographic data in online databases. Z39.50 is used on the Internet to search the Online Public Access Catalogues ( OPACs) of library holdings. It is also sometimes used to link disparate OPACs into a single "union" OPAC, for example the COPAC catalogue.
In basic terms, Z39.50 is a network protocol which allows searching of (usually remote) heterogeneous databases and retrieval of data, via one user interface. It is most often used for retrieving bibliographic records, although there arealso some non-bibliographic implementations. (Text taken from the UKOLN web site ). Services such as Zetoc make use of the Z39.50 protocol to make the data searchable and available to remote users.
ANSI/NISO Z39.50-1995, Information Retrieval (Z39.50): Application Service Definition and Protocol Specification and ISO 23950:1998, Information and documentation — Information retrieval (Z39.50) — Application service definition and protocol specification. Use of the term in this paper always refers to version 3 of the standard, except where otherwise specified.
A client/server-based protocol for searching and retrieving information across remote databases.
An ANSI protocol standard for WAN (wide area network) information query and exchange to share library referencing requests via distributed electronic access to information.
The name of the data transmission protocol used for WAIS requests and responses.
Z39.50 is a client server protocol for searching and retrieving information from remote computer databases. It is covered by ANSI/NISO standard Z39.50, and ISO standard 23950. The standard's maintenance agency is the Library of Congress.