The CUSIP Service Bureau (CSB) this week launched its CSB-ISIN Look-up Service, a new offering that provides unique CUSIP-based International Securities Identification Number (ISIN) identifiers for more than 3.6 million securities and their issuers. The CSB launched the new service in response to clients who need to access these identifiers in real time. (Standard & Poor’s, a unit of McGraw-Hill runs the CSB for the American Bankers Association).

Users can now search the CUSIP-ISIN database to validate these ISINs after accepting a one-time click-through agreement. They can also use the service for free—at least for now. The cost-recovery fee is being waived for the rest of 2007 as the company gauges user interest.

This was a necessary next step for the CSB. Users' demand for access to real-time information continues to grow. In order to remain relevant to customers, service providers must provide content in real time and make it easily accessible. This new look-up service is designed to accomplish these goals. While the CSB doesn’t seem absolutely convinced (since they're letting users test drive it for free), it's more than likely they will be soon. Users should enjoy the free access while they can.

Through a partnership with the National Federation of Municipal Analysts (NFMA), MuniNet Guide has launched a new Web site. The Municipal Bond Research Gateway is essentially a database of Web sites for individuals seeking access to municipal bond issuer Web sites, disclosure and public finance materials.

The Gateway can be used like a traditional search engine: users can enter a keyword or geographical location to locate a link to a specific issuer. They can also search listings in a particular credit sector or company. Those sectors and categories each include specific issuers and links to other relevant organizations. They also contain additional news and MuniNet content.

The new site can be characterized as the combination of a vertical search engine and an online database product--it's really a blend of the two. The MuniNet folks have taken their traditional online database product and increased its functionality with the addition of vertical search capabilities with this new site. MuniNet, a directory of municipal-based content, has been serving this industry for 10 years, evolving from a print newsletter that launched in 1997 to the MuniNetGuide.com site in 2000. Now, the company is taking advantage the latest technology--vertical search--to improve the functionality of its offerings even more. MuniNet has built its reputation on helping users find what theyre looking for quickly. The Gateway launch will just help the company further solidify its position in the marketplace.