NIST Procedure 1502.01 Ver. 1 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 1

Publishing Multiple Versions of

NIST Technical Series Publications

NIST PR 1502.01

Issue Date: 12/16/2020

Effective Date: 12/16/2020

PURPOSE

This document establishes procedures for revising, withdrawing, and publishing successive 

versions of a NIST Technical Series publication through the NIST Research Library 

(Gaithersburg) (Library).

APPLICABILITY 

The procedures apply to all non-periodical NIST Technical Series publications.

REFERENCES

• O 1502.00 Publishing Services - NIST Technical Series Publications and the Journal of 

Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

• O 1801.00 Review of Fundamental Research Communications

DEFINITIONS 

NIST Technical Series publications – non-periodical publications published by or for NIST, 

intended for internal and/or public distribution. Descriptions of the Technical Series are 

provided on the Library’s iNet page. A single NIST Technical Series publication may have 

multiple stages of publication. The stages of publication may include:

1. Draft posted for public comment – A non-final version that is made available to the 

public for their input.

2. Final publication – The final version that is made available to the public.

3. Errata update – A new copy of the final publication with corrections made. 

Corrections made in an errata update may not alter existing or introduce substantive

technical information, but rather are intended to remove ambiguity and improve 

interpretation of the work.

4. New revision/edition – A new version of the final publication with significant 

changes or updates. Examples include updating data to change results, revising 
NIST Procedure 1502.01 Ver. 1 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 2

guidelines based on new information, citing new studies, revising content based on 

reader feedback, etc.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI) – A string of characters used to identify a digital object such 

as an electronic document. A DOI is used as a persistent link that, when properly maintained 

by the creator, will always redirect the user to the currently registered location for a digital 

object.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Director, Information Services Office

• Manages the assignment of publication numbers and DOIs for all versions of a NIST 

Technical Series publication.

• Manages the creation of bibliographic and descriptive metadata to facilitate discovery 

of all versions of a NIST Technical Series publication.

• Maintains the link between a DOI and the web location for all versions of a NIST 

Technical Series publication.

Authors

• Follow the instructions for preparing and submitting a NIST Technical Series 

publication, available on the Library’s iNet page.

• Adhere to requirements and responsibilities in O 1801.00 Review of Fundamental 

Research Communications when preparing and submitting a NIST Technical Series 

publication.

PROCEDURES

1. Fix small errors in a published NIST Technical Series publication

• If a publication requires minor corrections after it is published, the Library will 

replace the publication at the DOI within the first 10 calendar days. Minor corrections 

are edits that do not affect the interpretation of the work, but rather improve 

readability or presentation (e.g., formatting, grammar, spelling).

• If a publication requires minor corrections after the 10 calendar days following

publication, authors will need to write an errata update or new revision that 

incorporates the corrections. This update or revision will be published as described in 

sections 2.3 and 2.4 below.

2. Multiple versions of a single NIST Technical Series publication

• If a NIST Technical Series publication has more than one stage of publication, a 

unique DOI will be assigned for each stage.
NIST Procedure 1502.01 Ver. 1 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 3

• Bibliographic and descriptive metadata, along with a PDF cover page (example), will 

be used to assist users in finding the most up-to-date version of the publication.

• Sections 2.1 – 2.4 below describe procedures for the most common publication stages 

of a single NIST Technical Series publication.

2.1. Draft posted for public comment

• Drafts of NIST Technical Series publications that are posted for public comment can 

be published through the Library and receive a DOI.

• The DOI of each public draft will be the same as the DOI for the final document with 

a unique “draft” indicator at the end.

2.2. Final publication

• Final versions of NIST Technical Series publications are published through the 

Library and receive a unique DOI.

2.3. Errata update

• NIST Technical Series publication errata updates are published through the Library 

and receive a DOI.

• The update DOI will be the same as the final DOI with a unique “update” indicator at 

the end.

• Note: Errata updates are intended to correct errors that clarify interpretation or use of 

the work. Typically, these correct errors that were overlooked during the NIST review 

process. Multiple errata updates should be avoided.

2.4. New revision/edition

• NIST Technical Series publication revisions and editions are published through the 

Library and receive a DOI that indicates the revision or edition.

• The revision/edition DOI will be the same as the final DOI with an appropriate and 

unique revision/edition indicator at the end.

• Note: Revisions are numbered sequentially, while editions are indicated by a year. It 

is up to the authors to decide if new versions of their publication will be published in 

numbered revisions or updated annually.

3. Withdraw a NIST Technical Series publication

• If a NIST Technical Series publication needs to be withdrawn for any reason, a PDF 

cover page (example) will be placed at the front of the publication with the 

appropriate information describing why the publication is withdrawn, and information 

about any superseding publication(s), if applicable.
NIST Procedure 1502.01 Ver. 1 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 4

• The withdrawn publication and cover page will remain at the same DOI, unless it is 

determined that the publication should be removed from distribution.

o The terms and reasons for a publication’s removal from distribution will be set on 

a case-by-case basis.

4. Indicate current date on an older NIST Technical Series publication

• All NIST Technical Series publications that are available at a DOI, without an 

archived/withdrawn cover page, are the most recent version. However, after a predetermined amount of time, authors and their OU leadership can review a publication, 

determine that it is still current and does not warrant an errata update or 

revision/edition, and request that the Library add the following statement to the Title 

Page under the Month and Year.

Publication is current as of <date>.

DIRECTIVE OWNER

135 - Information Services Office, ADMR

APPENDICES

A. Revision History
NIST Procedure 1502.01 Ver. 1 (Uncontrolled Copy in Print) Page 5

APPENDIX A

REVISION HISTORY 

Revision Date Responsible 

Person 

Description of Change

Initial 

Draft

9/12/2020 Kathryn Miller Initial Draft

Rev. .01 9/12/2020 Dan Cipra Formatting updates

Rev. .02 11/10/2020 Kathryn Miller DRB Comment updates