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University of Bradford >> Library >> Electronic Resources >> Standards
The most important standards organisation in the UK is the British Standards Institution, which is responsible for the vast majority of standards used here.
The Library now subscribes to British Standards Online which offers full-text access to British Standards at your desktop. The service is updated daily.
European (EN) and International (ISO) standards which have been implemented in the UK, are included in British Standards Online. If you have any queries about these please ask the subject librarians
There are three major standards organisations in Europe, CEN (Comite Europeen de Normalisation - general topics), CENELEC (electrotechnical topics) and ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute).
Check British Standards Online first to see if the standard has been adopted in the UK, if not contact your subject librarians or request the standard by InterLibrary Loan.
ISO was established to promote the development of international standards and so make international trade in goods and services operate more easily. The ISO Web site is an excellent source of information on ISO and its standards, both in force and under development.
The IEC, not the ISO, looks after international standards on electrical and electronics topics. The IEC Web site contains much useful information and has good search facilities. The IEC and the CEE (International Commission on Rules for the Approval of Electrical Equipment) have become the IECEE but the database search facility remains at the IEC site.
The ITU Web site provides large amounts of up-to-date information on ITU standards and their development. It covers the work of those bodies which used to be known as CCIR and CCITT (now ITU-R and ITU-T). The Library has the ITU-R and ITU-T Regulations in electronic form.
In contrast to the UK, where BSI is responsible for most standardisation activity, in the US many bodies are responsible for developing standards. The role of ANSI is to coordinate the work of these organisations. The ANSI Web site is excellent with much information on American standards and many links to relevant organisations. The useful Standards Search facility covers ANSI and other standards adopted in the USA.
One of the largest of the American standards developing organisations. The ASTM Web site gives basic information on standards available from the ASTM, but is still very much under construction and does not yet replace the printed subject index.
The JB Priestley Library has a complete set of 2008 standards and an up-to-date subject index (held at T6 AME in the Books section).
The IEEE Web site is an important source of standards information on, unsurprisingly, electrical and electronics topics. Many IEEE standards have been 'adopted' as international standards or as national standards in other countries. IEEE standards are also indexed in IEEE Xplore.
Choose and search the Standards section of the SAE Web site to find the standards relevant to your needs. Anything that has an ISO notation may possibly be available full text through the BSOnline service. SAE only items can be borrowed through Interloans - the options on the site do not have to be used!
The SMPTE produces standards which are widely used outside the United States.
NSSN Global is ANSI's guide to national and international standards organisations.
For further help and information about standards please contact your subject librarian.