Frequently Asked Questions about Standards

What if the Libraries does not have a standard that I need?

If you are a current NC State faculty, staff, student or affiliate, the Libraries will look into purchasing any standard not currently in our collection. Request a standard using Tripsaver. In most cases, PDF standards will be available to you within three business days, and print standards will be available within two to three weeks. We generally opt to buy PDFs but may choose to buy print for higher cost standards so that they can be added to our permanent collection.

If you are not affiliated with the university you will have to purchase the standard. Contact the organization that developed it or search the Accuris Standards Store.  

I'm an instructor, and my students need access to a standard that is not available through the Libraries' collections. What are my options for classroom use?

For course instructors who wish to use standards in their curriculum, the ANSI University Outreach Program provides complimentary access for students and faculty to selected ISO and IEC standards. Reach out the ANSI staff contact at the bottom of the program page for assistance. Additionally, ANSI has a collection of free standardization case studies.

If you need access to a standard not available through ANSI's program, either for your full class or for a small group, contact the librarians listed below.

Are European-adopted ISO and IEC standards the same as the original ISO and IEC standards?

Yes. When the European Commission adopts an ISO or IEC standard, the two documents are identical in every way with the addition of a national foreword/cover page.

The library's subscription to ASTM Compass includes only European-adopted ISO and IEC standards issued by AENOR (Spanish Association for Standardization and Certification). The standard number for these will begin with "UNE-EN." 

For example, UNE-EN ISO 105-Z07:1999 is equivalent to ISO 105-Z07:1995. Similarly, UNE-EN 60601-1-2:2015 is equivalent to IEC 60601-1-2:2014. Since European adoption occurs after the original IEC or ISO standard is issued, the year in the standard number may not be the same even though the standard itself is identical. The cover page of the standard will list the equivalent ISO or IEC standard.

How do I find AASHTO standards in Knovel?

We've found it works best to search the standard title in quotes without "AASHTO" or the standard number.

  • Example standard: AASHTO T380 : Standard Method of Test for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates and Effectiveness of ASR Mitigation Measures
  • Recommended search: "Standard Method of Test for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates and Effectiveness of ASR Mitigation Measures"

The text "Standard Method of Test for" will not be included in the title on the results page. For the example above, you'd be looking for the result titled "Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates and Effectiveness of ASR Mitigation Measures."

How can I get help with standards?

Contact the librarians listed below! We would be happy to help you find the standards you need.

Librarian(s)