4.4.2. International standard serial number (ISSN)

Continuing resources must be identified by an international standard serial number (ISSN), which is assigned by the Publications Office.

Continuing resources (serial publications and ongoing integrating resources – see Section 4.3.2) must be identified by an international standard serial number (ISSN), which is assigned by the Publications Office.

The allocation of an ISSN has no legal meaning or value with regard to the copyright of the work concerned or its content.

An ISSN is assigned exclusively for:

  • the entire lifespan of a title;
  • each language version;
  • each edition (monthly, annual, etc.);
  • each separate format.

In the case of multiple volumes, an ISSN is assigned to the key title, regardless of the number of volumes it comprises. An ISSN can also be assigned to a collection of monographs as such, with an ISBN being assigned to each volume in the collection.

The ISSN is permanently associated with a ‘key title’, created by the ISSN network at the time the resource is registered. The key title is unique to each specific continuing resource.

A new ISSN (and a new key title) must be assigned to a continuing resource if:

  • the title changes significantly;
  • the format is changed.

Any supplement or sub-series that may accompany a continuing resource must be assigned its own ISSN (and thus a specific key title).

ISSN location and display

An ISSN is composed of two groups of four digits (Arabic numerals) separated by a hyphen and preceded by the letters ISSN followed by a space. The last character (the control character) may be an X:

ISSN 0251-1479

ISSN 1831-855X

The ISSN must be printed clearly on or in the first issue of a serial publication and on or in any subsequent issue, as well as on or in each version of an ongoing integrating resource.

Where an ISSN is accompanied by another identifier, such as an ISBN in the case of a volume in a collection, the two numbers must appear together, each identified by the required prefix (ISBN, ISSN, DOI, etc.).

If a continuing resource has been assigned several ISSNs for different titles (such as the title of a main collection and the titles of its sub-collections), all the ISSNs must be printed on the resource, and be distinguished by the inclusion of (for example) the complete or abridged title in brackets.

tip:

See also ‘A quick reference guide’.

In the case of publication in different formats (which are assigned different ISSNs and key titles), the relevant ISSNs may appear on the continuing resources, distinguished as in the following example:

PrintISSN 1562-6585

HTMLISSN 1063-7710

For printed works, the ISSN must appear on each issue, in the upper right-hand corner of the cover or, if that is not possible, printed clearly and visibly on one of the following (in order of preference): title page, sleeve, data box, back cover, copyright page or masthead area.

For works in electronic format (online works, CD-ROM, etc.), it must be included on the title screen or, if that is not possible, on the main menu, and also, if possible, on any label permanently affixed to the publication. If it is not possible to display the ISSN on the product or its label, it must appear on the container.

For online resources, the ISSN must also appear in the metadata (in the identification field).

Linking ISSN (ISSN-L)

Pursuant to ISO 3297:2022 (ISSN), a linking ISSN (ISSN-L) is assigned to a continuing resource (see Section 4.3.2) to link together the various medium versions of the resource, regardless of the number of versions (each version must itself be assigned a separate ISSN).

The ISSN-L is composed of a sequence of two groups of four digits separated by a hyphen and preceded by the letters ISSN-L followed by a space, as in the following example:

ISSN-L 0251-1479

An ISSN-L must be changed when the titles of all medium versions of a resource undergo a major change at the same time. A new ISSN is then assigned to each separate version and a new ISSN-L to the collection.

tip:

Useful ISSN links

ISSN International Centre:
http://www.issn.org/

ISSN Manual:
https://www.issn.org/understanding-the-issn/assignment-rules/issn-manual/

ISO 3297:2022: international standard serial number (ISSN):
https://www.iso.org/standard/84536.html

ISO standards can be obtained from ISO members, a list of which is available from the ISO website:
https://www.iso.org/members.html