Locating standards at the SFU Library and at other libraries

If you need help, please contact Holly Hendrigan, Liaison Librarian, Faculty of Applied Sciences at 778.782.8023 or holly_hendrigan@sfu.ca or Ask a librarian.

Standards are official publications from organizations which set criteria for developments in technical fields.  To view lists of standards published by standards organizations, see Standards Organizations' catalogues.

Simon Fraser University (SFU)

Via Techstreet, a vendor who provides individual standards on demand, SFU Library students, faculty, and staff have electronic access to selected standards from the following bodies:

  • CSA (Canadian Standards Association)
  • IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
  • ISO (International Organization for Standardization
  • SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers)
  • ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)

Note: Techstreet standards are in .pdf format and are encrypted. To view standards via Techstreet you must install the FileOpen plugin and open the standard with Adobe Reader. Mac users need to use a browser other than Safari.

Standards can generally be found in the library catalogue  by entering the organization and the standard number (eg "ISO 10218-1") or the title of the standard (eg, "Robots and robotic devices - Safety requirements for industrial robots - Part 1: Robots"). However, it is best to double check the Techstreet database because some standards contain multiple components that are separate purchases. 

SFU researchers also have access to:

In addition, the SFU Library may hold individual standards from various standards bodies. Search the SFU Library catalogue to locate individual standards

If SFU Library does not have the standard you seek, please  Suggest a title for purchase  and budget permitting, the standard will be added to the collection. 

Elsewhere in the Greater Vancouver area

British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)

The BCIT Library subscribes to standards from several publishers, including CSA, ASTM, and select ASHRAE.  Individual titles of standards are listed in the BCIT Library catalogue (use the Advanced Keyword Search and indicate STANDARDS under Material Type). 

University of British Columbia (UBC)

See UBC Library: Standards for details about the standards collection at UBC.

Vancouver Public Library (VPL)

Vancouver Public Library (VPL) collects standards and has one of the largest collections of technical standards in the province. Phone VPL's general phone number 604-331-3603 for assistance in locating a standard and to verify that a particular standard is in the collection. Note that many standards are not listed in VPL's catalogue. 

Interlibrary Loan?

Copyright legislation often prohibits libraries from sharing their standards. Please contact Holly Hendrigan (holly_hendrigan@sfu.ca) if you are having difficulty obtaining a standard.