Standards and KU Libraries


Standards are important agreed-upon specifications for industry products. They are also commonly used in scholarly research. Standards determine how a product is made so that it is standardized and consistent across manufacturers.

The complex and increasing number and cost of standards, as well as the restrictions of formats and intellectual property use, limits access for libraries to obtain, collect, and share these materials. KU Libraries do not purchase single-use standards. Instead, subscription-based access to standards is available through select providers. These subscriptions are evaluated annually, and access is amended as budgets allow.

Find standards available in the KU Libraries

  • There is a limited collection of print standards for checkout, searchable in the library catalog.
  • Some standards are available through Interlibrary Loan (ILL), where we extend our collection by borrowing from other libraries on your behalf. Submit a request for standards through the ILL webpage
  • Refer to the KU Libraries Subject Guide, Standards at KU Libraries, to learn what standards are available and how to access them.
  • Access specific databases that provide standards through the Library’s A-to-Z list on the Library website.