+This Perl module helps you to create and manipulate GRS-1 records (generic record syntax).
+So far, you have only access to three methods:
+
+=head2 new
+
+Creates a new GRS-1 object,
+
+ my $grs1 = new Net::Z3950::GRS1;
+
+=head2 AddElement
+
+Lets you add entries to a GRS-1 object. The method should be called this way,
+
+ $grs1->AddElement($type, $value, $which, $content);
+
+where $type should be an integer, and $value is free text. The $which argument should
+contain one of the constants listed in Appendix A. Finally, $content contains the "thing"
+that should be stored in this entry. The structure of $content should match the chosen
+element data type. For
+
+ $which == Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::String;
+
+$content should be some kind of scalar. If on the other hand,
+
+ $which == Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Subtree;
+
+$content should be a GRS1 object.
+
+=head2 Render
+
+This method digs through the GRS-1 data structure and renders the record. You call it
+this way,
+
+ $grs1->Render();
+
+If you want to access the rendered record through a variable, you can do it like this,
+
+ my $record_as_string;
+ $grs1->Render(POOL => \$record_as_string);
+
+If you want it stored in a file, Render should be called this way,
+
+ $grs1->Render(FILE => 'record.grs1');
+
+When no file name is specified, you can choose to stream the rendered record, for instance,
+
+ $grs1->Render(HANDLE => *STDOUT); ## or
+ $grs1->Render(HANDLE => *STDERR); ## or
+ $grs1->Render(HANDLE => *MY_HANDLE);
+
+=head2 Hash2grs
+
+This method converts a hash into a GRS-1 object. Scalar entries within the hash are converted
+into GRS-1 string elements. A hash entry can itself be a reference to another hash. In this case,
+the new referenced hash will be converted into a GRS-1 subtree. The method is called this way,
+
+ $grs1->Hash2grs($href, $mapping);
+
+where $href is the hash to be converted and $mapping is referenced hash specifying the mapping
+between keys in $href and (type, value) pairs in the $grs1 object. The $mapping hash could
+for instance look like this,
+
+ my $mapping = {
+ title => [2, 1],
+ author => [1, 1],
+ issn => [3, 1]
+ };
+
+If the $grs1 object contains data prior to the invocation of Hash2grs, the new data represented
+by the hash is simply added.
+
+
+=head1 APPENDIX A
+
+These element data types are specified in the Z39.50 protocol:
+
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Octets
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Numeric
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Date
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Ext
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::String <---
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::TrueOrFalse
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::OID
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::IntUnit
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::ElementNotThere
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::ElementEmpty
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::NoDataRequested
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Diagnostic
+ Net::Z3950::GRS1::ElementData::Subtree <---
+
+Only the '<---' marked types are so far supported in this package.