by Barbara Schindler

The ASTM Web site has much to offer. A visit to www.astm.org can offer a wide range of applications, from providing general information on ASTM to developing standards online. Launched in 1995, the site has evolved considerably, and ASTM will continue to expand its offerings on the Web. There are many aspects to the site. Here’s a brief overview of some of what you can find there now.

NEWS AND INFORMATION

The News and Information section contains a good deal of general information on ASTM as well as the concept of standardization. News and Information is particularly useful for newcomers to ASTM and for non-members seeking general information on the Society. Members too, can find important information in the News and Information section.

The Frequently Asked Questions page can help explain the fundamentals. Here you will find 25 questions with concise answers that sum up the basics of ASTM. This is a good place to go when looking for wording on how to describe ASTM.

You can find all the latest news on ASTM’s activities in the News and Upcoming Events page, which captures the latest on ASTM committee activity all in one place, listed alphanumerically, and updated monthly. Find a year’s worth of news here, which is archived chronologically and according to ASTM technical committee.

Useful within the corporate environment as well as in the university setting, the Information for Students and Educators section offers information on ASTM and the discipline of standardization. For example, The Handbook of Standardization is a practical guide to how the complex world of standards works. This is the online version of an eight-page booklet developed by ASTM to give a concise overview of today’s global standards development system.

Further information for students and educators can be found in an online case study illustrating how standards are being taught at today’s universities. Read Teaching Standards in the Classroom: One Professor’s Story and see how ASTM standards are used in the mechanical engineering curriculum at the University of Washington.

For engineering students, a concise essay on the founding of ASTM by engineers is housed in Engineers Create ASTM. This research aid for busy students complements a longer version of ASTM’s history that also can be found within the News and Information section, titled ASTM History: A Century of Progress.

Also within Information for Students and Educators, viewers can request a free copy of the ASTM Video, “ASTM: A Proven Partnership.” This ten-minute video covers the main points about ASTM in an easy-to-understand and enjoyable format.

Interesting stories about ASTM standards can be found in News and Story Tips for Reporters. The ASTM standards featured coincide with the months of the year and give examples of how standards affect our daily lives.

Profiles on the ways in which multinational corporations use standards in their efforts to succeed competitively in today’s global marketplace are found in the Company Articles section of News and Information. These nine case studies are written by the standards executives of today’s major multinationals.

Commentary on standards and their role in business and industry today is found in the President’s Column. Here, ASTM President Jim Thomas shares his views on pertinent issues that affect ASTM, the standards community, and the constituents we serve. The ASTM Mission Statement and Links of Interest to the Standards Community can also be found within News and Information.

STANDARDIZATION NEWS

Another source of news on ASTM and standards here and abroad is the online version of Standardization News. The SN online site contains feature articles, Tech News, various monthly columns, letters to the editor, the ASTM meetings calendar, newly approved standards actions, and more. SN is accessible directly from the main home page.

For those who like to plan well in advance, the Calendar feature in SN is for you. Once you are in SN, scroll down the Contents page and click on the Calendar for up to three years of schedules of technical committee meetings, symposia, and training courses. This calendar is updated monthly.

THE ASTM STORE

A valuable and much-used feature of the ASTM Web page is the search engine for standards. In the ASTM Store, standards can be searched either by subject or by designation by clicking on Search for Individual Standards. This is an extremely useful tool for perusing the vast library of ASTM standards. Clicking on any standard title will reveal the scope and keywords of the standard. The full text of the standards can be acquired directly from ASTM through the Web by downloading, or it can be faxed or delivered in printed format by mail. Information on Ordering Options Outside the Unites States is also given in the Store.

By clicking on the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, viewers can see the schedule for the release of each of the 75 volumes of the Annual Book of ASTM Standards, in print as well as in corresponding CD-ROM, a new feature this year. A free demo CD of Standards on Disc can be requested from this page, as well as a free ASTM Catalog.

Match your standards needs exactly with standards subscriptions, ASTM WebDoxx, specialized collections, enterprise-wide service, and Standards Tracker. Learn more about these features from the Online Subscription to Standards section in the ASTM Store.

Specialized Print Compilations and Search for Technical Publications offers the capability to search ASTM’s extensive collection of Special Technical Publications (STPs), Journals, Book of Standards Volumes, Compilations of Standards, and New Publication Series by keywords, volume number, editor’s name, and stock number.

ASTM publishes six journals. Under Journals in the ASTM Store, each journal’s table of contents (current and past issues), subscription information, journal description, and editorial board is given. Here papers in the Journal of Forensic Sciences (JOFS) can be searched from 1981 to the present day. Many JOFS papers are in PDF and can be downloaded individually. Look for individual papers of all ASTM journals to be on the web page later this year. An Author’s Guide with information on how to prepare a manuscript and how to submit a book/software proposal is also in the ASTM Store. ASTM offers non-stop customer service via Support Desk and an e-mail help desk easily accessed through the site.

TECHNICAL COMMITTEES/ MEMBERSHIP

Information on each of ASTM’s 130 technical committees can be found on the Web site by going to Technical Committees/Membership. Every committee has its own page containing a wealth of information: the latest news, meeting dates, committee officers, standards developed by the subcommittees, standards development tools, “members only” minutes, “members only” rosters, and more.1 Committees can be searched by Alphanumeric Listing, Alphabetic Listing, or by Category.

Also, ASTM’s Standards Development Forums are accessed through the Technical Committees/Membership section. Using Web technology, the forums facilitate the standards development process by allowing standards development work to take place anytime, anywhere in the world. ASTM was one of the first standards developing organizations to customize Internet software to facilitate standards development. An Educational Module on the Forums is a useful orientation to how they work and can benefit your committee.

Standards Development Tools are offered in the Technical Committees/ Membership page. They include PDF and RTF files of the following guidelines from ASTM: Regulations Governing ASTM Technical Committees, Form and Style for ASTM Standards, Draft Standard Templates, ASTM Technical Committee Officer Handbook, ASTM Manual for the Development and Implementation of Strategic Plans, the ballot item submittal form, the Interactive Standards Development Forums request form, a form for requesting the development of a new standard, Guide for the Format of a Research Report, and a proxy form.

The Contract and Project Management page describes ASTM’s Contract and Project Management Services Department, which provides management support for research projects and other related activities intended to enhance the quality and timeliness of ASTM products and services. Some of the services provided include: grant and contract administration, technical project management, and management support for external standards development or other related activity.

The Honors and Awards page within Technical Committees/Membership lists all the awards currently in the ASTM Awards Program. ASTM implements this program to recognize the numerous contributions in the field of standardization made by individuals in and outside the ASTM membership.

For information on upcoming Committee Week meetings, click on Committee Week Pre-Registration. From here you can find out which committees are meeting during a particular Committee Week, when they are meeting, and when and where symposia and training sessions will be held. Also provided here is important travel information, hotel reservation facts, and transportation information. A pre-registration form can be completed from this page.

DETAILED MEETING SCHEDULES

For detailed meeting schedules, go to your specific committee’s Web page. Click on Meeting Schedule for such specifics as: the date of the meeting, start and end times, and the meeting room.

New technical committee officers will be interested to see the Web section on this year’s ASTM Officers’ Conference. By clicking on Officers’ Conference: Information and Pre-Registration within Technical Committees/Membership, you can view descriptions of the module line-up, contact the appropriate ASTM staff, pre-register, and learn more about the conference.

TRAINING COURSES

The various Technical and Professional Training courses offered by ASTM are listed in the Training Courses page, accessible from the home page. Course titles, dates, locations, and fees are listed for each available course. A course registration form is also available online.

QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAMS

The various Statistical Quality Assurance Programs offered by ASTM are also accessible from the home page. These include the Interlaboratory Cross-Check Programs and the Proficiency Testing Programs. Information about the programs, schedules, test samples, statistical analysis, and test data is provided here.

DIRECTORIES

There are two useful directories on the ASTM Web page. The 2000 ASTM Laboratory Directory is a free online full-text keyword search for services and locations of testing laboratories. The directory lists 1,000 laboratories according to subject area, geographic location, products, services, tests performed, and keywords. Find this on the home page under Search Lab Directory.

The ASTM Directory of Scientific and Technical Consultants and Expert Witnesses is a free online full-text keyword search of 675 individuals and companies performing consulting services or acting as expert witnesses. This directory is searchable according to subject area, consultant name, geographic location, and keywords. Find this on the home page under Search Consultants Directory.

REACHING HEADQUARTERS AND STAFF

From the main home page, click on Contact for practical information on how to reach ASTM. Check out Directions to ASTM Headquarters via plane, train, or automobile. Reach us electronically by connecting with our Webmaster, or ask Questions About Your Order, and access the ASTM Headquarters Staff Directory.

And finally, for an easy-to-use guide of the entire ASTM site, click on Site Map, which is found on the home page as well as throughout the various pages. You can navigate your way through the entire site from here. //

1 Look for an article on this new section of the site in an upcoming issue of SN.

Copyright 2000, ASTM