A common perception of Z39.50 is that it defines a simple information retrieval standard for bibliographic data. But in its latest version, Z39.50-1995, the standard has evolved into a rich set of interoperable services that can be used for client/server-based search and retrieval within literally any information discipline.
This paper addresses the use of Z39.50 for search and retrieval of scientific and technical information. This topic is explored within the context of an implementation of Z39.50 by Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). The paper explores some of the practical implementation issues encountered, the solutions applied, and lessons learned.