The ABCs of XML: The Librarian's Guide to the eXtensible Markup Language by Norman Desmarais. ISBN: 0-9675942-0-0. LCCN: 00-008051. Paperback 216 pages. $28. Fax your order to 281-646-7702, or use our online order form available at www.newtechnologypress.com/ntp/onlineform.html.

This book provides an overview of XML and some of its applications in libraries. It discusses XML and its relationship to SGML and HTML and examines the various components of the markup language. It explains the structure of an XML document and explores the different types of style sheets that offer various options for formatting and presenting XML documents for reading and processing. It covers XML's linking and pointing components which expand those capabilities even further than HTML allows.

One of the important advantages of XML is that it can be read by both humans and machines, allowing sharing of data for computer processing. The book will discuss the processing of XML data and its import, particularly for electronic commerce (e-commerce) which is expected to be the "killer application" that will accelerate XML's adoption and catapult it into widespread use. A glossary and bibliography round out the presentation. Contents will be updated at http://NewTechnologyPress.com/updates/xml.html.

The author is acquisitions librarian at Providence College. He has served as editor of CD-ROM Librarian and CD-ROM World, columnist for CD-ROM Professional and contributing editor of Optical Information Systems. He has also authored and contributed to several books.

Comments from librarians

"Desmarais has written a clear, concise guide to XML that should be of great use to not just librarians, but anyone interested in this important standard. . ." Roy Tennant in Current Cites.

"The adoption of XML is coming soon but librarians can get ahead of the curve with Norman Desmarais's The ABCs of XML: The Librarian's Guide to the eXtensible Markup Language. . ." Cathleen Bourdon in American Libraries.

"The ABCs of XML . . . is the reference to turn to when you finally have to figure out what all the meta-fuss is about XML." George M. Eberhart in C&RL News.

"In a technologically sophisticated environment where buzzwords and acronyms drop like secret code, Norman Desmarais clears hype and delivers both a reference resource and a current, substantial explanation of XML..." D.H. Westmoreland in Reference & User Services Quarterly.