The Network Development and MARC Standards Office is a center for library and information network standards and planning in the Library of Congress. Established in 1976 to provide focus for networking activities in the Library of Congress, the office was expanded in 1984 to include MARC standards responsibilities. Thus, staff are involved in many facets of network development including:
standards, which are basic to efficient, long-term interchange with other systems such as those for Bibliographic Framework Initiative (BIBFRAME) and Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC), as well as SRU and Z39.50 information retrieval protocols;
planning, which involves working out detailed models and specifications with other institutions and with internal Library of Congress units; and
coordinating and testing implementation that takes the standards development and planning to fulfillment through the completion of operational networking systems.
To contact the Network Development and MARC Standards Office, please write to:
Library of Congress