ISSN Numbers: An Introduction

[Disclaimer: The following information was prepared by the U.S. Library of Congress. Readers located outside the United States should consult their country's national library for more information.] The following information comes from the Marvel gopher at the U.S. Library of Congress. Gopher to marvel.loc.gov, port 70, or telnet to marvel.loc.gov and log in as "marvel". Subject: Introduction to the ISSN (Please Read First) **************************************** * ISSN Numbers: An Introduction * **************************************** What follows this introduction is a slightly updated version of the Library's general information brochure about the ISSN: "ISSN is for Serials." The brochure was prepared by the National Serials Data Program (NSDP), the office within the Library of Congress which assigns International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN.) The brochure gives information about how the ISSN is used and how to obtain an ISSN. The brochure includes an ISSN application form. This introduction augments the brochure by clarifying some of the requirements for obtaining an ISSN, by further discussing ISSN use by the U.S. Postal Service, and by addressing some newly expanding uses of the ISSN, such as its use in bar codes and its applicability to electronic serials. The ISSN is an internationally recognized identification number for serials. It can be thought of as the "social security number" of the serials world. The ISSN is the serial counterpart of the ISBN (International Standard Book Number). However, NSDP does not assign ISBN numbers. ISBN are assigned by the R.R. Bowker Co., 121 Chanlon Rd., New Providence, NJ 07874. NSDP is the U.S. center of the International Serials Data System (ISDS), the international body which coordinates assignment and use of the ISSN worldwide. NSDP can only assign ISSN to serials published in the United States. ISSN for serials published outside the United States are assigned by ISDS national centers located in the country of publication, or by the ISDS International Center located in Paris. There are approximately 50 national centers in the ISDS network. For a referral to the appropriate center, please contact the ISDS International Centre, 20, rue Bachaumont, 75002 Paris, France. ISSN can be assigned to serials published in any medium. Different ISSN are usually required for each physical medium, e.g., print, electronic, sound recording, etc. In order to be considered a serial all issues (except for volumes in unnumbered monographic series) must carry unique numerical or chronological designations (e.g., Vol., No., and/or date) by which individual issues can be identified and distinguished from each other. The requirement that each serial issues carry a unique designation applies to electronic publications (e.g., CD-ROMs, electronic journals), as well. If an electronic publication is a dynamic database, a bulletin board, or a listserv, it is probably not eligible for an ISSN, but in any case of doubt please contact NSDP. One major use of the ISSN in the United States is its use by the U.S. Postal Service as an identification number for certain publications mailed at second class rates. However, it is not necessary to have an ISSN before applying for a second class mailing permit; the ISSN can be assigned or confirmed as part of the application process. Also, merely printing the ISSN does not automatically confer any special mailing status on a publication. For specific information about obtaining second class permits, consult your local postmaster. A growing use of the ISSN is in bar codes. While the ISSN is not used in the UPC code (the code seen primarily on trade and mass market titles) it is used in the EAN and SISAC bar codes. In these two codes, the ISSN constitutes the portion of the code that identifies the title of the serial. Other data in various bar codes can represent the number or date of the issue, or the price. Bar coding of serials is further speeding the efficiencies in serial processing which can be realized through the use of the ISSN. For information about ISSN in the SISAC bar code, contact the Serials Industry Systems Advisory Committee, 160 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010 and for information about ISSN in the EAN code, contact the Uniform Code Council, 8163 Old Yankee Road, Dayton, OH 45458. ISSN can be assigned to serials either before the first issue is published or after publication has begun. ISSN requestors should allow about one month for NSDP to assign the ISSN and send it to them by return mail. There is no charge for an ISSN assignment. In 1992 an American ISSN friends group, called "AmIS" (as in the French pronunciation) was established to help defray the cost of dues assessed the United States for participation in the International Serials Data System. This dues obligation, one of the several means by which the ISDS International Center is financed, amounted to $100,000 in 1991, of which the Library of Congress could pay only $55,000. AmIS provides the opportunity for those who share in the benefits of the ISSN to help ensure its financial viability. Membership benefits include an annual report containing news from NSDP and ISSN statistics from the previous year, as well as receipt of other ISSN, and ISDS information. Subscriptions to AmIS can be arranged through periodical subscription agents such as Faxon, EBSCO, or a library's regular agent. Brochures listing categories of membership in AmIS are available from NSDP. National Serials Data Program Library of Congress Washington, DC 20540-4160 8/31/92 ***Last update 6/8/93 (efm)**** -- Nigel Allen ae446@freenet.carleton.ca The views expressed in this message are mine, not EFF's. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dan Brown brown@eff.org Sysadmin for The Electronic Frontier Foundation. Join EFF! For information about membership, send mail to eff@eff.org.