Overview
ISO 10161-2:2014 - Information and documentation - Open Systems Interconnection - Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Application Protocol - Part 2 defines the Protocol Implementation Conformance Statement (PICS) proforma for the ILL protocol specified in ISO 10161‑1. This second-edition standard provides the questionnaire-style PICS that implementers and suppliers must complete to declare which ILL features, options and limitations their implementation supports. It is developed in accordance with conformance guidance in ISO/IEC 9646 and incorporates relevant Defect Reports and Amendment 1 (electronic document delivery).
Key topics and technical requirements
- PICS proforma structure: A normative Annex A contains the self-contained PICS proforma designed for testing and procurement. Sections include implementation details, global conformance statement, supported roles, service types and syntaxes.
- Conformance rules: A conforming PICS must be technically equivalent to the ISO proforma, preserve numbering/ordering and uniquely identify supplier and implementation details.
- Notation and completion guidance:
- “D” column denotes requirement level: m (mandatory), o (optional), c (conditional), cc (conditional on communication service), – (not applicable).
- “I” column is the implementer’s indicator: Y (yes), N (no), – (not applicable).
- A Reference/usage column captures value ranges, restrictions or attachments where more detail is needed.
- PICS numbering & references: Each proforma line is uniquely numbered for clear referencing during testing and interoperability assessment.
- Scope of information: The PICS requires both implementation capability and implementer identity; it encourages attachments where space is insufficient.
Applications and practical value
- Interoperability testing: Testing bodies use completed PICS documents to verify and compare protocol conformance across implementations.
- Procurement and evaluation: Libraries and consortia rely on PICS responses to assess vendors’ ILL products against ISO 10161‑1 requirements and to identify optional features or restrictions.
- Vendor documentation and certification: Software vendors and integrators complete the PICS when claiming conformance, supporting transparency about supported roles (requester, responder, intermediary), transaction types (simple, chained, partitioned) and syntaxes.
- Risk mitigation: Clear statements of implemented options reduce integration surprises and help plan for electronic document delivery and other ILL services.
Who should use this standard
- Library systems vendors and developers
- Library IT teams and systems integrators
- Conformance test laboratories and interoperability test organizers
- Procurement officers and standards managers in libraries and information centers
Related standards
Keywords: ISO 10161-2:2014, PICS proforma, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) protocol, protocol implementation conformance statement, ISO 10161-1, OSI conformance, interoperability testing.
