At the Chicago meeting of the Committee to Study Serials Standards,
we fine-tuned a survey instrument meant to test for use/awareness of
serials standards among automation vendors and other library suppliers.
We benefited from the presence of company reps in the audience and will
be sending the survey out in the next month or so.  The survey itself
is designed to complement the 1988 survey that the committee made of
libraries on the same theme.  The present survey, however, includes
questions on X12 standards, barcode codes, and messaging media in addi-
tion to NISO standards.

The Committee is also sponsoring a 1992 preconference on electronic
data interchange (EDI) and the library.  Planned topics are the X12
purchase order format, the edges of X12 and MARC, barcode technology
... When I recover a little more from conference I'll put more out
on the list.  As of the time I left Chicago (before the final meeting of
the ALCTS Board) the preconference seemed to have a lot of support
for a Thursday slot--complementing a Friday slot for the Integrated
Formats preconference.  We may have some really great news about regis-
tration fees, too, possibly a reduced rate for the two preconferences
as a package!

Judy Brugger
Catalog Management and Authorities Librarian
Cornell University
(607) 255-4247