ISO 3297

Information and documentation — International standard serial number (ISSN)

This document defines and promotes the use of a standard code (ISSN) for the unique identification of serials and other continuing resources. Each International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique identifier for a serial or other continuing resource in a defined medium whether print or electronic. This document also allows for grouping related continuing resources into clusters identified by a separately-prefixed ISSN as defined in this document. ISSNs are applicable to serials and to other continuing resources, whatever the business model or modes of distribution (e.g. free, open access, on subscription, etc.) and irrespective of whether the serial is currently in publication, has ceased publication, or publication is planned for the foreseeable future. Continuing resources include whatever the medium of production (print or electronic): — serials, such as newspapers, periodicals, journals, magazines, conference proceedings, monographic series with no predetermined conclusion, annual or other periodic reports, and — ongoing integrating resources that are updated, such as loose-leaf publications, updating websites, blogs, institutional repositories, directories and databases. Monographs, sound and video recordings, notated music publications, audiovisual works, textual works and musical works have their own standard identifiers and are not specifically mentioned in this document. Such items can carry an ISSN in addition to their appropriate identifiers when they are part of a continuing resource. NOTE This document does not contain any operational guidance for its practical implementation.

Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé des publications en série (ISSN)

Le présent document définit et encourage l'emploi d'un code normalisé (ISSN), destiné à l'identification unique des publications en série et des autres ressources continues. Chaque Numéro international normalisé des publications en série (ISSN) est l'identifiant unique d'une publication en série ou d'une autre ressource continue sur un support déterminé, que celui-ci soit imprimé ou électronique. Le présent document permet aussi de regrouper des ressources continues en relation au sein de regroupements identifiés par un ISSN précédé d'un préfixe distinct tel que défini dans le présent document. L'ISSN s'applique aux publications en série et autres ressources continues, quel que soit le modèle économique ou les modes de distribution (gratuité, accès libre ou par abonnement.) et indépendamment du fait que la publication soit passée, présente ou à paraître dans un avenir prévisible. Les ressources continues comprennent, quel que soit leur support de production (imprimé ou électronique): — les publications en série telles que les journaux, les revues, les périodiques, les magazines, les actes de congrès, les collections de monographies sans fin de parution programmée, les rapports annuels ou autres rapports périodiques; et — les ressources intégratrices continues à mise à jour telles que les publications à feuillets mobiles, les sites web à mise à jour, les blogues, les dépôts institutionnels, les répertoires permanents et les bases de données. Les monographies, les enregistrements sonores et visuels, les publications de musique imprimée, les œuvres textuelles et les œuvres musicales ont leur propre identifiant normalisé et ne sont donc pas explicitement visés par le présent document. Ces documents peuvent porter un ISSN en complément de leur identifiant dédié lorsqu'ils font partie d'une publication en série ou d'une ressource continue. NOTE Le présent document ne contient pas de recommandations pour sa mise en pratique.

General Information

• Status: Not Published
• ICS: 01.140.20 - Information sciences
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 9 - Identification and description
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 46/SC 9 - Identification and description
• Current Stage: 6000 - International Standard under publication
• Start Date: 27-May-2022
• Completion Date: 27-May-2022

RELATIONS

• Replaces: ISO 3297:2020 - Information and documentation — International standard serial number (ISSN)
• Effective Date: 06-Jun-2022

Standards Content (sample)

ISO 3297:2020(E)
ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
TC 46/SC 9
ISO 3297:2020(E)
2022-03
Secretariat: ANSI
Information and documentation — International standard serial number (ISSN)

Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé des publications en série (ISSN)

© ISO 2020 – All rights reserved
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ISO 3297:2020(E)
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part

of this publication may be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on the internet or an intranet, without prior written

permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below or ISO’s member body in

the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
© ISO 2020 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)
Contents

Contents ............................................................................................................................................................... ii

Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................ iv

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

1 Scope ............................................................................................................................................................ 1

2 Normative references ............................................................................................................................ 1

3 Terms and definitions ........................................................................................................................... 1

3.1 Metadata ............................................................................................................................................ 1

3.2 Stakeholders .................................................................................................................................... 2

3.3 Resources identified ...................................................................................................................... 3

3.4 Identifiers and locators ................................................................................................................ 4

4 Construction of ISSN and cluster ISSN .............................................................................................. 5

5 Assignment of ISSN — Principles ....................................................................................................... 6

6 Establishment of the key title and the abbreviated key title .................................................. 7

7 Continuing resource clusters identified with cluster ISSN ...................................................... 7

[17]

8 Display of ISSN and Cluster ISSN ................................................................................................... 8

9 ISSN Machine legibility ....................................................................................................................... 10

10 ISSN Metadata .................................................................................................................................... 12

11 Administration of the ISSN network ......................................................................................... 13

Annex A (normative) Check digit for ISSN ............................................................................................ 14

Table A.1 — Procedure for calculating the ISSN check digit ......................................................... 14

Annex B (normative) Linking ISSN (ISSN-L) ......................................................................................... 15

Annex C (normative) ISSN Metadata Profile ........................................................................................ 16

C.1 Metadata required from an applicant for ISSN assignment ............................................. 16

Table C.1 — Metadata that should be supplied by applicants where applicable ................... 16

C.2 Metadata available in the ISSN Register .................................................................................. 17

Table C.2 — ISSN Register Metadata elements supplied by the ISSN network ....................... 17

Annex D (normative) Administration of the ISSN network ............................................................ 19

D.1 General................................................................................................................................................. 19

D.2 Responsibilities of ISO 3297 Registration Authority .......................................................... 19

D.3 ISO 3297 Registration Agencies .................................................................................................. 20

Annex E (informative) Interoperability of ISSN .................................................................................. 21

E.1 General................................................................................................................................................. 21

E.2 ISSN in linked data formats .......................................................................................................... 21

E.2.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 21

E.2.2 Syntax ............................................................................................................................................... 21

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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)

E.3 ISSN and Digital Object Identifier (DOI) .................................................................................. 22

E.3.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 22

E.3.2 Syntax and examples .................................................................................................................. 22

E.4 ISSN and OpenURL ........................................................................................................................... 22

E.4.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 22

E.4.1.1 Syntax and examples .................................................................................................................. 23

E.4.1.2 Usage scenario .............................................................................................................................. 23

E.5 ISSN and URN ..................................................................................................................................... 23

E.5.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 23

E.5.2 Syntax and example .................................................................................................................... 24

E.5.3 Usage scenario .............................................................................................................................. 24

E.6 ISSN and GTIN .................................................................................................................................... 24

E.6.1 Overview ......................................................................................................................................... 24

E.6.2 Syntax and example .................................................................................................................... 24

Table E.1 — Syntax of GTIN embedding ISSN ...................................................................................... 24

Figure E.1 — Example of the ISSN embedded in GTIN-13 ............................................................... 25

Table E.2 — Format of two-digit add-on ............................................................................................... 25

Table E.3 — Format of five-digit add-on ............................................................................................... 26

Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................... 27

© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national

standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is

normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject

for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that

committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO,

also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical

Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed

for the different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in

accordance with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject

of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the

Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does

not constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the

World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,

Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.

This sixthseventh edition cancels and replaces the fifthsixth edition (ISO 3297:2017),2020), of

which has been technically revised.it constitutes a minor revision. The main changes compared to

the previous edition are as follows:

— the Cluster ISSN concept has been broadened to identify groups of serial titles based on new

types of relations;
— the list of resource types eligible for ISSN assignment has been expanded;

— the construction of the ISSN, its machine legibility, and ISSN metadata profile have been

detailed;

— the interoperability of ISSN with other identification systems has been specified.

— in 3.4.6, "Universal Resource Identifier" has been corrected to read as "Uniform Resource

Identifier";
— in 8.3, the examples given, including ISBNs, have been corrected;
— in 8.6, incorrect reference to 8.3 has been corrected to 8.2;
— in E.4.1.1, ISSNs have been corrected.
© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards

body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)
Introduction

The need for a brief, unique and unambiguous identification code for serials and other continuing

resources is internationally recognized. The exchange of information among libraries, abstracting

services and other content users, system suppliers, distributors and other intermediaries, and

publishers and other content producers justifies the requirement for a standard code.

Communication between the different organizations transcends national boundaries and

therefore requires an international code which is numeric, since no single alphabet is used by the

majority of producers and users of serials. In response to these requirements, the International

Standard Serial Number (ISSN) has been established as the identification code for serials. The ISSN

is an opaque identifier where no meaning is to be inferred from the code itself.

The International Serials Data System (ISDS) was established as an inter-governmental

organization within the framework of the UNESCO/UNISIST program to be the designated

authority for controlling the assignment of ISSN. In 1993, the ISDS became the ISSN network

which is the inter-governmental organization comprising ISO 3297 Registration Authority and

ISO 3297 Registration Agencies to which some Registration services have been delegated,

including ISSN assignment.

The first three editions of this document pertained only to serials. However, in 2002 a new

category of resources, "continuing resources", was defined by the library community to

encompass new kinds of resources, such as updating databases. The scope of the fourth edition

was broadened to cover serials and other continuing resources. The fifth edition removed any

reference to the business model from the standard. This sixth edition responds to sector requests

by establishing the ability to group and identify related continuing resources into new types of

clusters. Furthermore, this document specifies richer metadata elements to allow the

communication of additional characteristics of a resource.
© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
vii
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FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Information and documentation — International standard
serial number (ISSN)
1 Scope

This document defines and promotes the use of a standard code (ISSN) for the unique

identification of serials and other continuing resources.

Each International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique identifier for a serial or other

continuing resource in a defined medium whether print or electronic.

This document also allows for grouping related continuing resources into clusters identified by a

separately-prefixed ISSN as defined in this document.

ISSNs are applicable to serials and to other continuing resources, whatever the business model or

modes of distribution (e.g. free, open access, on subscription, etc.) and irrespective of whether the

serial is currently in publication, has ceased publication, or publication is planned for the

foreseeable future. Continuing resources include whatever the medium of production (print or

electronic):

— serials, such as newspapers, periodicals, journals, magazines, conference proceedings,

monographic series with no predetermined conclusion, annual or other periodic reports, and

— ongoing integrating resources that are updated, such as loose-leaf publications, updating

websites, blogs, institutional repositories, directories and databases.

Monographs, sound and video recordings, notated music publications, audiovisual works, textual

works and musical works have their own standard identifiers and are not specifically mentioned

in this document. Such items can carry an ISSN in addition to their appropriate identifiers when

they are part of a continuing resource.

NOTE This document does not contain any operational guidance for its practical implementation.

2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following

addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1 Metadata
3.1.1
abbreviated key title

specific title established by the ISSN network by replacing each significant word of a key title with

the corresponding abbreviation from the List of Title Word Abbreviations managed by the

ISO 3297 Registration Authority for ISO 4
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Note 1 to entry: See Reference [2] for the List of Title Word Abbreviations.
[3]
Note 2 to entry: Abbreviations are based on ISO 4 .
3.1.2
ISSN metadata

descriptive data recorded as part of the ISSN assignment process that provides elements by which

the continuing resource is identified and distinguished from other continuing resources

Note 1 to entry: It is updated by the ISSN network when needed.
3.1.3
ISSN Register

official registration database managed by the ISO 3297 Registration Authority containing all ISSN

and associated metadata records for those ISSN that have been assigned to date
Note 1 to entry: The database is made available in the ISSN Portal.
3.1.4
key title

unique name established by the ISSN network for a continuing resource, and inseparably linked

with its ISSN

Note 1 to entry: The key title can be the same as the title proper of the resource (refer to 3.1.5); or, in order

to achieve uniqueness, it can be constructed by the addition of parenthetical identifying and/or qualifying

elements to the title proper such as name of issuing body, place of publication, edition statement, etc.

3.1.5
title proper

chief name of a continuing resource as it appears on the title page or title page equivalent or other

relevant part of the continuing resource
3.2 Stakeholders
3.2.1
applicant

organization or individual that has requested an ISSN to identify a continuing resource under the

aegis of, and according to the rules specified by the Registration Authority
3.2.2
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
IANA

nonprofit private corporation that oversees global IP address allocation, autonomous system

number allocation, root zone management in the Domain Name System (DNS), media types, and

other Internet Protocol-related symbols and Internet numbers
3.2.3
Internet Engineering Task Force
IETF

open standards organization which develops and promotes voluntary Internet standards,

including the standards that comprise the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP)

Note 1 to entry: The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) issues Requests for Comments (RFC) which are

formal documents drafted by committees and subsequently reviewed by interested parties.

© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)
3.2.4
ISSN network

inter-governmental association comprising ISO 3297 Registration Authority and ISO 3297

Registration Agencies to which some registration services have been delegated, including ISSN

assignment
3.2.5
publisher

organization or individual whose activity is to commission, create, collect, validate, host and

distribute information in printed and/or in electronic form
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.3.15, modified — Notes to entry have been omitted.]
3.3 Resources identified
3.3.1
continuing resource

publication, in any medium, that is issued over time with no predetermined conclusion and made

available to the public
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.05]

Note 1 to entry: Continuing resources include serials and ongoing integrating resources.

Note 2 to entry: An electronic continuing resource is either a resource available on a tangible medium (e.g.

disc, flash drive) or a resource accessed by connection to a communication network and by means of

hardware and software connections (e.g. online).

Note 3 to entry: Electronic continuing resources can originate in digital form or be retrospectively digitised.

3.3.2
continuing resource edition

distinct continuing resource issued simultaneously or not simultaneously with one or many

editions of that resource, usually with the same title proper

Note 1 to entry: Each edition is intended for a specific audience or use; examples include language,

geographic, frequency editions.
3.3.3
integrating resource

publication, either finite or with no predetermined conclusion, that is added to or changed by

updates that do not remain discrete and are integrated into the whole, and made available to the

public in any medium version
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.06, modified — The example has been omitted.]

Note 1 to entry: Only integrating resources with no predetermined conclusion (i.e. ongoing) are continuing

resources eligible for ISSN assignment.
3.3.4
journal

periodical in any medium version devoted to disseminating original research and commentary on

current developments in a specific discipline, sub-discipline, field of study or profession,

published over a period of time, or article by article online
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
3.3.5
medium version
means used to convey the information or content

Note 1 to entry: The medium can be tangible (e.g. print, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, tapes, flash drives) or

intangible (e.g. websites, online databases, downloadable files).
3.3.6
monographic series

group of separate books related to one another by the fact that each book bears, in addition to its

own title proper, a collective title applying to the group as a whole
Note 1 to entry: The individual book may or may not be numbered in the series.

Note 2 to entry: Monographic series are not to be confused with multipart monographs which are complete

in two or more volumes or series intended to be completed within a finite number of parts/volumes and

therefore not eligible for an ISSN.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.27.02]
3.3.7
periodical

serial generally characterized by variety of contents and contributors, both within one issue of the

publication and from one issue to another

Note 1 to entry: Each issue is usually composed of more than one intellectual contribution (article, essay,

review, note, etc.).
Note 2 to entry: A periodical has no predetermined conclusion.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.28.02]
3.3.8
serial

publication in any medium version, issued in successive parts, usually having numerical or

chronological designations, and intended to be continued indefinitely, whatever its frequency of

publication

Note 1 to entry: Publications of limited duration (e.g. newsletter for a one-time event) that have some

characteristics of serials such as successive issues and/or numbering can be considered as serials.

[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.28.01]
3.4 Identifiers and locators
3.4.1
cluster ISSN
ISSN assigned to group continuing resources related to each other

EXAMPLES Titles available in print and electronic medium versions, titles available in several language

editions.
3.4.2
Global Trade Item Number
GTIN
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)

unique number from a standard code used internationally to identify products and packaging

units
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.12 — Notes to entry have been omitted.]
3.4.3
ISSN
International Standard Serial Number

standard code assigned by the ISSN network for the unique identification of serials and other

continuing resources in a defined medium version
Note 1 to entry: The term ISSNs can be used to refer to more than one ISSN.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.03, modified — Notes to entry have been edited.]
3.4.4
ISSN-L
Linking ISSN

cluster ISSN designated by the ISO 3297 Registration Authority to enable collocation or linking

among the different medium versions of a continuing resource
3.4.5
PID
Persistent Identifier

unique identifier that ensures permanent access for a digital object by providing access to it

independently of its physical location or current ownership
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.25]
3.4.6
URI
Uniform Resource Identifier
compact sequence of characters that identifies an abstract or physical resource
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.1.9.20]
3.4.7
URN
Uniform Resource Name

persistent, location-independent, resource identifier used for recognition of, and access to,

characteristics of the resource or the resource itself
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.1.9.22]
4 Construction of ISSN and cluster ISSN

The characters that comprise an ISSN, whatever the prefix, are defined as code points from

ISO/IEC 10646.

NOTE The code points referenced above can be represented without ambiguity in all commonly used

character sets.
An ISSN shall consist of eight characters as follows:
© ISO 20202022 – All rights reserved
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Character N N N N N N N C
where:

— N is a digit from the code points in the range U+0030 to U+0039 (the Arabic numerals 0 to 9),

and

— C is a check digit being either a digit from the code points in the range U+0030 to U+0039 or

the Latin capital letter X (code point U+0058).

The check digit shall be calculated from the other seven digits on a modulus 11 basis with weights

8 to 2, using X in lieu of 10 where 10 occurs as a check digit, as calculated in Annex A.

EXAMPLE
22656405
14549042

Since ISSNs are likely to be used in the same context as codes designed for other purposes, when

an ISSN is presented for human perception, it should, to avoid confusion, be preceded by the prefix

including ISSN (U+0049, U+0053, U+0053, U+004E) and a space (U+0020) and divided into two

groups of four characters, separated by a hyphen (U+002D).
EXAMPLE
ISSN 1792-4219
ISSN 2336-1956
ISSN 0268-540X
ISSN-L 2397–1754
5 Assignment of ISSN — Principles

5.1 An ISSN shall be assigned only by a member of the ISSN network upon request from an

applicant or as part of internal library processing such as legal deposit and digitization projects.

5.2 A request for an ISSN may be made to the ISSN network by any individual or organization that

needs to identify serials and other continuing resources, e.g.such as a publisher or their

representative, a library, a content provider, a preservation organization.

5.3 A request for an ISSN shall be accompanied by a copy of or access to the earliest issue of serials

or the current iteration of integrating resources.

5.4 A request for an ISSN shall be accompanied by metadata about the continuing resource to

which an ISSN is to be assigned. Metadata supplied by applicants should be accurate and

verifiable.

5.5 At the time of registration by the ISSN network, each continuing resource is assigned a unique

key title that links permanently to the ISSN.
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ISO/FDIS 3297:20202022(E)

5.6 Each distinct continuing resource in a particular medium version should be assigned only one

ISSN.

5.7 When a continuing resource is published in different editions or medium versions, a unique

ISSN and key title should be assigned to each edition or medium version whether or not they have

the same title proper.

5.8 A new ISSN should be assigned, and a corresponding new key title should be established when

the continuing resource undergoes a major change in title or other major changes. The ISO 3297

Registration Authority shall determine, the rules which specify when a new ISSN is required

following changes to a continuing resource. In formulating these rules, the ISO 3297 Registration

Authority shall take into consideration other relevant bibliographic standards regarding

continuing resources.

5.9 Once an ISSN has been assigned to a continuing resource, it should not be altered, replaced or

reused for another publication.

5.10 The assignment of an ISSN to a continuing resource shall not imply any meaning or legal

evidence with regard to the ownership of rights to that publication or its contents. The ISSN itself

is not owned by the applicant and is not changed solely because of a change of publisher or place

of publication.

5.11 The assignment of an ISSN to a continuing resource does not imply the ISSN network

endorses the content of this continuing resource, nor does it imply any mark of quality about the

continuing resource.
6 Establishment of the key title and the abbreviated key title
6.1 The key title is established or authenticated by the ISSN network.

6.2 The key title is based on the title proper. For serials, the issue used to establish the key title is

the first issue or earliest available issue at the time of registration. For integrating resources, the

key title is based on information appearing on the current iteration. The title proper of the

resource becomes the key title if this title is unique in the ISSN Register at the time of registration.

If this title proper is not unique, the key title is the title of the resource, to which a parenthetical

qualifying term is added
...

FINAL
INTERNATIONAL ISO/FDIS
DRAFT
STANDARD 3297
ISO/TC 46/SC 9
Information and documentation —
Secretariat: ANSI
International standard serial number
Voting begins on:
2022-03-31 (ISSN)
Voting terminates on:
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé
2022-05-26
des publications en série (ISSN)
RECIPIENTS OF THIS DRAFT ARE INVITED TO
SUBMIT, WITH THEIR COMMENTS, NOTIFICATION
OF ANY RELEVANT PATENT RIGHTS OF WHICH
THEY ARE AWARE AND TO PROVIDE SUPPOR TING
DOCUMENTATION.
IN ADDITION TO THEIR EVALUATION AS
Reference number
BEING ACCEPTABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL, TECHNO-
ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
LOGICAL, COMMERCIAL AND USER PURPOSES,
DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MAY ON
OCCASION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED IN THE
LIGHT OF THEIR POTENTIAL TO BECOME STAN-
DARDS TO WHICH REFERENCE MAY BE MADE IN
NATIONAL REGULATIONS. © ISO 2022
---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT
© ISO 2022

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may

be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on

the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below

or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
© ISO 2022 – All rights reserved
---------------------- Page: 2 ----------------------
ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Contents Page

Foreword ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................iv

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................v

1 Scope ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1

2 Normative references ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3 Terms and definitions .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3.1 Metadata ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1

3.2 Stakeholders ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 2

3.3 Resources identified .......................................................................................................................................................................... 3

3.4 Identifiers and locators ................................................................................................................................................................... 4

4 Construction of ISSN and cluster ISSN .......................................................................................................................................... 5

5 Assignment of ISSN — Principles ....................................................................................................................................................... 6

6 Establishment of the key title and the abbreviated key title ............................................................................... 6

7 Continuing resource clusters identified with cluster ISSN .................................................................................... 7

[17]

8 Display of ISSN and cluster ISSN .................................................................................................................................................. 7

9 ISSN Machine legibility .................................................................................................................................................................................. 9

10 ISSN Metadata ......................................................................................................................................................................................................11

11 Administration of the ISSN network ............................................................................................................................................11

Annex A (normative) Check digit for ISSN ...................................................................................................................................................12

Annex B (normative) Linking ISSN (ISSN-L) ........................................................................................................................................... ...13

Annex C (normative) ISSN Metadata profile .............................................................................................................................................14

Annex D (normative) Administration of the ISSN network ......................................................................................................17

Annex E (informative) Interoperability of ISSN ....................................................................................................................................19

Bibliography .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................25

iii
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Foreword

ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards

bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out

through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical

committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International

organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.

ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of

electrotechnical standardization.

The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are

described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the

different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the

editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of

patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of

any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or

on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).

Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not

constitute an endorsement.

For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and

expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to

the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see

www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.

This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,

Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.

This seventh edition cancels and replaces the sixth edition (ISO 3297:2020), of which it constitutes a

minor revision. The changes are as follows:

— in 3.4.6, "Universal Resource Identifier" has been corrected to read as "Uniform Resource Identifier";

— in 8.3, the examples given, including ISBNs, have been corrected;
— in 8.6, incorrect reference to 8.3 has been corrected to 8.2;
— in E.4.1.1, ISSNs have been corrected.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A

complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Introduction

The need for a brief, unique and unambiguous identification code for serials and other continuing

resources is internationally recognized. The exchange of information among libraries, abstracting

services and other content users, system suppliers, distributors and other intermediaries, and

publishers and other content producers justifies the requirement for a standard code. Communication

between the different organizations transcends national boundaries and therefore requires an

international code which is numeric, since no single alphabet is used by the majority of producers and

users of serials. In response to these requirements, the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

has been established as the identification code for serials. The ISSN is an opaque identifier where no

meaning is to be inferred from the code itself.

The International Serials Data System (ISDS) was established as an inter-governmental organization

within the framework of the UNESCO/UNISIST program to be the designated authority for controlling

the assignment of ISSN. In 1993, the ISDS became the ISSN network which is the inter-governmental

organization comprising ISO 3297 Registration Authority and ISO 3297 Registration Agencies to which

some Registration services have been delegated, including ISSN assignment.

The first three editions of this document pertained only to serials. However, in 2002 a new category of

resources, "continuing resources", was defined by the library community to encompass new kinds of

resources, such as updating databases. The scope of the fourth edition was broadened to cover serials

and other continuing resources. The fifth edition removed any reference to the business model from

the standard. This sixth edition responds to sector requests by establishing the ability to group and

identify related continuing resources into new types of clusters. Furthermore, this document specifies

richer metadata elements to allow the communication of additional characteristics of a resource.

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FINAL DRAFT INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
Information and documentation — International standard
serial number (ISSN)
1 Scope

This document defines and promotes the use of a standard code (ISSN) for the unique identification of

serials and other continuing resources.

Each International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a unique identifier for a serial or other continuing

resource in a defined medium whether print or electronic.

This document also allows for grouping related continuing resources into clusters identified by a

separately-prefixed ISSN as defined in this document.

ISSNs are applicable to serials and to other continuing resources, whatever the business model or modes

of distribution (e.g. free, open access, on subscription, etc.) and irrespective of whether the serial is

currently in publication, has ceased publication, or publication is planned for the foreseeable future.

Continuing resources include whatever the medium of production (print or electronic):

— serials, such as newspapers, periodicals, journals, magazines, conference proceedings, monographic

series with no predetermined conclusion, annual or other periodic reports, and

— ongoing integrating resources that are updated, such as loose-leaf publications, updating websites,

blogs, institutional repositories, directories and databases.

Monographs, sound and video recordings, notated music publications, audiovisual works, textual

works and musical works have their own standard identifiers and are not specifically mentioned in this

document. Such items can carry an ISSN in addition to their appropriate identifiers when they are part

of a continuing resource.

NOTE This document does not contain any operational guidance for its practical implementation.

2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.

ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:

— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1 Metadata
3.1.1
abbreviated key title

specific title established by the ISSN network by replacing each significant word of a key title with

the corresponding abbreviation from the List of Title Word Abbreviations managed by the ISO 3297

Registration Authority for ISO 4
Note 1 to entry: See Reference [2] for the List of Title Word Abbreviations.
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
[3]
Note 2 to entry: Abbreviations are based on ISO 4 .
3.1.2
ISSN metadata

descriptive data recorded as part of the ISSN assignment process that provides elements by which the

continuing resource is identified and distinguished from other continuing resources

Note 1 to entry: It is updated by the ISSN network when needed.
3.1.3
ISSN Register

official registration database managed by the ISO 3297 Registration Authority containing all ISSN and

associated metadata records for those ISSN that have been assigned to date
Note 1 to entry: The database is made available in the ISSN Portal.
3.1.4
key title

unique name established by the ISSN network for a continuing resource, and inseparably linked with its

ISSN

Note 1 to entry: The key title can be the same as the title proper of the resource (refer to 3.1.5); or, in order to

achieve uniqueness, it can be constructed by the addition of parenthetical identifying and/or qualifying elements

to the title proper such as name of issuing body, place of publication, edition statement, etc.

3.1.5
title proper

chief name of a continuing resource as it appears on the title page or title page equivalent or other

relevant part of the continuing resource
3.2 Stakeholders
3.2.1
applicant

organization or individual that has requested an ISSN to identify a continuing resource under the aegis

of, and according to the rules specified by the Registration Authority
3.2.2
Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
IANA

nonprofit private corporation that oversees global IP address allocation, autonomous system number

allocation, root zone management in the Domain Name System (DNS), media types, and other Internet

Protocol-related symbols and Internet numbers
3.2.3
Internet Engineering Task Force
IETF

open standards organization which develops and promotes voluntary Internet standards, including the

standards that comprise the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP)

Note 1 to entry: The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) issues Requests for Comments (RFC) which are

formal documents drafted by committees and subsequently reviewed by interested parties.

3.2.4
ISSN network

inter-governmental association comprising ISO 3297 Registration Authority and ISO 3297 Registration

Agencies to which some registration services have been delegated, including ISSN assignment

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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
3.2.5
publisher

organization or individual whose activity is to commission, create, collect, validate, host and distribute

information in printed and/or in electronic form
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.3.15, modified — Notes to entry have been omitted.]
3.3 Resources identified
3.3.1
continuing resource

publication, in any medium, that is issued over time with no predetermined conclusion and made

available to the public
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.05]

Note 1 to entry: Continuing resources include serials and ongoing integrating resources.

Note 2 to entry: An electronic continuing resource is either a resource available on a tangible medium (e.g. disc,

flash drive) or a resource accessed by connection to a communication network and by means of hardware and

software connections (e.g. online).

Note 3 to entry: Electronic continuing resources can originate in digital form or be retrospectively digitised.

3.3.2
continuing resource edition

distinct continuing resource issued simultaneously or not simultaneously with one or many editions of

that resource, usually with the same title proper

Note 1 to entry: Each edition is intended for a specific audience or use; examples include language, geographic,

frequency editions.
3.3.3
integrating resource

publication, either finite or with no predetermined conclusion, that is added to or changed by updates

that do not remain discrete and are integrated into the whole, and made available to the public in any

medium version
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.06, modified — The example has been omitted.]

Note 1 to entry: Only integrating resources with no predetermined conclusion (i.e. ongoing) are continuing

resources eligible for ISSN assignment.
3.3.4
journal

periodical in any medium version devoted to disseminating original research and commentary on

current developments in a specific discipline, sub-discipline, field of study or profession, published over

a period of time, or article by article online
3.3.5
medium version
means used to convey the information or content

Note 1 to entry: The medium can be tangible (e.g. print, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, tapes, flash drives) or intangible (e.g.

websites, online databases, downloadable files).
3.3.6
monographic series

group of separate books related to one another by the fact that each book bears, in addition to its own

title proper, a collective title applying to the group as a whole
Note 1 to entry: The individual book may or may not be numbered in the series.
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)

Note 2 to entry: Monographic series are not to be confused with multipart monographs which are complete in

two or more volumes or series intended to be completed within a finite number of parts/volumes and therefore

not eligible for an ISSN.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.27.02]
3.3.7
periodical

serial generally characterized by variety of contents and contributors, both within one issue of the

publication and from one issue to another

Note 1 to entry: Each issue is usually composed of more than one intellectual contribution (article, essay, review,

note, etc.).
Note 2 to entry: A periodical has no predetermined conclusion.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.28.02]
3.3.8
serial

publication in any medium version, issued in successive parts, usually having numerical or chronological

designations, and intended to be continued indefinitely, whatever its frequency of publication

Note 1 to entry: Publications of limited duration (e.g. newsletter for a one-time event) that have some

characteristics of serials such as successive issues and/or numbering can be considered as serials.

[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.4.1.28.01]
3.4 Identifiers and locators
3.4.1
cluster ISSN
ISSN assigned to group continuing resources related to each other

EXAMPLE Titles available in print and electronic medium versions, titles available in several language

editions.
3.4.2
Global Trade Item Number
GTIN

unique number from a standard code used internationally to identify products and packaging units

[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.12 — Notes to entry have been omitted.]
3.4.3
ISSN
International Standard Serial Number

standard code assigned by the ISSN network for the unique identification of serials and other continuing

resources in a defined medium version
Note 1 to entry: The term ISSNs can be used to refer to more than one ISSN.
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.03, modified — Notes to entry have been edited.]
3.4.4
ISSN-L
Linking ISSN

cluster ISSN designated by the ISO 3297 Registration Authority to enable collocation or linking among

the different medium versions of a continuing resource
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
3.4.5
PID
Persistent Identifier

unique identifier that ensures permanent access for a digital object by providing access to it

independently of its physical location or current ownership
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.2.5.25]
3.4.6
URI
Uniform Resource Identifier
compact sequence of characters that identifies an abstract or physical resource
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.1.9.20]
3.4.7
URN
Uniform Resource Name

persistent, location-independent, resource identifier used for recognition of, and access to,

characteristics of the resource or the resource itself
[SOURCE: ISO 5127:2017, 3.1.9.22]
4 Construction of ISSN and cluster ISSN

The characters that comprise an ISSN, whatever the prefix, are defined as code points from

ISO/IEC 10646.

NOTE The code points referenced above can be represented without ambiguity in all commonly used

character sets.
An ISSN shall consist of eight characters as follows:
Position 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Character N N N N N N N C
where:

— N is a digit from the code points in the range U+0030 to U+0039 (the Arabic numerals 0 to 9), and

— C is a check digit being either a digit from the code points in the range U+0030 to U+0039 or the

Latin capital letter X (code point U+0058).

The check digit shall be calculated from the other seven digits on a modulus 11 basis with weights 8 to

2, using X in lieu of 10 where 10 occurs as a check digit, as calculated in Annex A.

EXAMPLE
22656405
14549042

Since ISSNs are likely to be used in the same context as codes designed for other purposes, when an ISSN

is presented for human perception, it should, to avoid confusion, be preceded by the prefix including

ISSN (U+0049, U+0053, U+0053, U+004E) and a space (U+0020) and divided into two groups of four

characters, separated by a hyphen (U+002D).
EXAMPLE
ISSN 1792-4219
ISSN 2336-1956
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
ISSN 0268-540X
ISSN-L 2397–1754
5 Assignment of ISSN — Principles

5.1 An ISSN shall be assigned only by a member of the ISSN network upon request from an applicant

or as part of internal library processing such as legal deposit and digitization projects.

5.2 A request for an ISSN may be made to the ISSN network by any individual or organization that

needs to identify serials and other continuing resources, such as a publisher or their representative, a

library, a content provider, a preservation organization.

5.3 A request for an ISSN shall be accompanied by a copy of or access to the earliest issue of serials or

the current iteration of integrating resources.

5.4 A request for an ISSN shall be accompanied by metadata about the continuing resource to which

an ISSN is to be assigned. Metadata supplied by applicants should be accurate and verifiable.

5.5 At the time of registration by the ISSN network, each continuing resource is assigned a unique

key title that links permanently to the ISSN.

5.6 Each distinct continuing resource in a particular medium version should be assigned only one

ISSN.

5.7 When a continuing resource is published in different editions or medium versions, a unique ISSN

and key title should be assigned to each edition or medium version whether or not they have the same

title proper.

5.8 A new ISSN should be assigned, and a corresponding new key title should be established when

the continuing resource undergoes a major change in title or other major changes. The ISO 3297

Registration Authority shall determine, the rules which specify when a new ISSN is required following

changes to a continuing resource. In formulating these rules, the ISO 3297 Registration Authority shall

take into consideration other relevant bibliographic standards regarding continuing resources.

5.9 Once an ISSN has been assigned to a continuing resource, it should not be altered, replaced or

reused for another publication.

5.10 The assignment of an ISSN to a continuing resource shall not imply any meaning or legal evidence

with regard to the ownership of rights to that publication or its contents. The ISSN itself is not owned

by the applicant and is not changed solely because of a change of publisher or place of publication.

5.11 The assignment of an ISSN to a continuing resource does not imply the ISSN network endorses the

content of this continuing resource, nor does it imply any mark of quality about the continuing resource.

6 Establishment of the key title and the abbreviated key title
6.1 The key title is established or authenticated by the ISSN network.

6.2 The key title is based on the title proper. For serials, the issue used to establish the key title is the

first issue or earliest available issue at the time of registration. For integrating resources, the key title

is based on information appearing on the current iteration. The title proper of the resource becomes

the key title if this title is unique in the ISSN Register at the time of registration. If this title proper is not

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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)

unique, the key title is the title of the resource, to which a parenthetical qualifying term is added (such

as name of issuing body, place and/or date of publication, edition statement or medium statement), in

order to make the resulting key title unique.

6.3 All key titles should be listed in the ISSN Register together with their ISSN. Key titles shall be

Romanized, preferably according to International Standards. The ISO 3297 Registration Authority shall

[5] to [16]
publish references to Romanization standards and guidelines.

6.4 The abbreviated key title should be assigned by the ISSN network as indicated in conjunction

with the key title for scientific continuing resources so as to provide an abbreviated form of the key title

for purposes of indexing and citations.
7 Continuing resource clusters identified with cluster ISSN

The ISO 3297 Registration Authority shall be responsible for determining the need to identify clusters

of continuing resources. This shall be done by assigning a new ISSN and a prefix whose syntax will

be ISSN-X where X identifies the type of cluster. Examples of clusters are all earlier, later and current

titles of a resource or all language editions of a resource. The ISO 3297 Registration Authority shall

publish definitions of cluster types and document the processes by which cluster ISSNs are created and

disseminated.

By exception, the cluster identified by the Linking ISSN (ISSN-L) uses an existing ISSN. The Linking

ISSN shall be defined according to Annex B. ISSN-L provides collocation or linking among the different

medium versions of a continuing resource. The ISSN-L duplicates the ISSN assigned to the first medium

version to have received an ISSN for a continuing resource that is part of the cluster and is distinguished

only by the prefix ISSN-L.
EXAMPLE

ISSN 2095-2686 identifies the print version of International Journal of Mining Science and Technology.

ISSN 2589-062X identifies the online version of the same journal.

ISSN-L 2095–2686 is designated by the Registration Authority as the linking ISSN.

ISSN 2365-807X identifies the electronic version of Kultur- und Sozialgeschichte Osteuropas.

ISSN 2365-8061 identifies the print version of the same journal.

ISSN-L 2365–807X is designated by the Registration Authority as the linking ISSN.

ISSN 2651-057X identifies the online-only journal Warasan Sangkhomwitthaya Manutsayawitthaya

ISSN-L 2651–057X is designated by the ISO 3297 Registration Authority as the linking ISSN.

[17]
8 Display of ISSN and cluster ISSN

8.1 To ensure that the ISSN’s eight characters can be easily recognized as an ISSN, any ISSN shall

be consistently displayed as two groups of four digits separated by a hyphen and preceded by the

appropriate prefix and a space.
EXAMPLE
ISSN 0540-4614
ISSN-L 8755–5108

8.2 The ISSN and related medium version ISSNs should be displayed in a prominent position on or in:

— the first issue and each subsequent issue of serials,
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ISO/FDIS 3297:2022(E)
— each subsequent iteration of ongoing integrating resources.

Relevant cluster ISSNs should be displayed in addition to the other medium version ISSN(s).

8.2.1 For printed continuing resources, the ISSN and related medium version ISSNs should be

displayed in a prominent position on each issue in the following order of preference: top-right hand

corner of the front cover, title page, caption, masthead, back cover, colophon or editorial pages.

[18]

The ISSN should be displayed on the continuing resource even when it is also included in the bar code

of the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) (see E.6).
EXAMPLE
The journal
...