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Introduction

The Sexton Library has the largest print standards collection in the Maritimes* and the Dalhousie Libraries subscribes to both the ASTM Digital Library and IEEE Xplore Electronic Library (access restricted to Dalhousie).

Search the Novanet Catalogue to find available print standards.

*The Sexton Library may not always have the most up-to-date version of a standard in the collection.

Please contact the Sexton Library directly to verify the currency of a standard or to recommend a purchase. Standards requests will be reviewed by a subject specialist on an individual basis.

What is a Standard?

A standard is a document that has been published by a recognized standards organizations, and may include product design requirements, test methods, classifications, recommended practices, and other considerations.

Many standards define safety requirements and set levels of performance for products. Some address social concerns, such as how our environment is managed or how information is used.

Standards may be municipal, provincial, national, and/or international in scope and are generally developed by governments, not-for-profit organizations, and associations.

For more details please refer to Standards Systems: A Guide for Regulators from the Standards Council of Canada.

Standards Numbering Breakdown

Most standards have a unique identification code associated with them. These codes may help to identify a particular set of characteristics before interacting with the material. Here is an example of an ASTM code system breakdown.

ex. ASTM F985-18

ASTM : The standards organization 

: The subject category (this may not always be present)

985 : The unique identifying number of the standard

18 : The year the standard was approved