The National Information Standards Organization (NISO) has published a revision to the Knowledge Bases and Related Tools (KBART) Recommended Practice, designated NISO RP‑9‑2026 and commonly referred to as KBART Phase III.
Originally introduced in 2010, KBART provides guidance on metadata formatting to support accurate exchange between content providers and knowledge base developers. The 2014 revision (Phase II) expanded recommendations to include monographs and consortial collections. The newly released Phase III adds further recommendations for additional content types, introduces file‑level guidance for KBART Automation, accommodates translated and transliterated publication titles, updates conventions around contributors’ surnames, revises the embargo section, incorporates provisions for a file manifest, and introduces a reworked endorsement process now referred to as KBART compliance.
Robert Heaton, co‑chair of the KBART Standing Committee and FOLIO Consultant at EBSCO, explained that the latest release enhances KBART’s ability to manage complex metadata while remaining straightforward enough for broad adoption. He acknowledged the contributions of the Standing Committee and emphasized continued support for the KBART user community.
Noah Levin, fellow co‑chair and Senior Manager of Metadata and Digital Asset Management at Springer Publishing, noted that Phase III reflects extensive community feedback. He stated that the committee conducted a comprehensive review, adding clearer examples, multimedia provisions, global language support, and a new file manifest to guide navigation of content providers’ packages. He expressed confidence that the guidelines would serve the community for years to come.
Todd Carpenter, NISO Executive Director, remarked that the revision demonstrates the committee’s commitment to meeting the needs of content providers, librarians, and knowledge base suppliers who rely on KBART for communicating holdings metadata.
The updated KBART Recommended Practice is available on the NISO website: https://www.niso.org/standards-committees/kbart.
Click here to read the original press release.
