Studies of IRAS sources at high galactic latitudes

530 IRAS sources have been identified from a complete sample, flux limited at S(60 μm)=0.5 Jy, in an area of sky covering 844 square degrees at the North Galactic Pole. After exclusion of 34 bright stars, 99 per cent of the remainder coincide with galaxies, mostly in the magnitude range 14-17, but with a tail of faint objects. Spectroscopic observations have been made of candidates for 183 IRAS sources. Together with published data, redshifts are now available for two overlapping complete sub-samples, totalling 303 galaxies. (author)