ISSN are assigned since the 1970s and universally accepted within the print publishing world as a means of identifying the serials. Changes in the editorial practices linked to the development of Internet led the ISSN to evolve and to extend its scope.

The ISSN aims today at identifying and facilitating the access to the various versions and manifestations of the "continuing resources", which include the usual "serials" and the "ongoing integrating resources" available mostly online.

Continuing resources are heterogeneous and their typology is still under realization. But they share the same characteristics with serials. They are "bibliographic resources issued over time with no predetermined conclusion...".

Recorded in the ISSN Register, ISSN are the more simple way for finding and accessing electronic resources through the URL addresses included in the ISSN records. Bibliographic links ( Former/Successor titles, Titles in other languages, Titles on other media … ) let also the user to go from one version of a resource to other versions, which are also registered with their own ISSN.

Application rules

When a publication is published in different media, with the same title or not, different ISSN and key titles shall be assigned to the different media editions.

However, the same ISSN can be used for different file formats (ASCII, PostScript, Hypertext) of the same online publication. The same applies for a multiple physical format publication (for example a print publication with a CD-ROM included or a Video recording …) only one ISSN will be assigned.

In the case where an online publication presents only abstracts of articles without the possibility to read the full text, no ISSN will be assigned.

Commercial web sites, personal web pages, web pages which contain only links to other URLs are not eligible for ISSN assignments.

Personal weblogs are not eligible for ISSN.

In the case where the medium of the publication changes (for example a print publication becomes an online publication), a new ISSN is assigned.

How to apply?

Click here [1] to apply for an ISSN.

Pre-publication requests are encouraged so that the ISSN can be displayed on the resource from the first issue forward.

Pre-publication requests should be accompanied by some form of mock-up. This may consist of the disk label and title screen of the publication itself for floppy disks and CD-ROMs, draft title screens or instructions on how we can access these screens online for online publications(URL password).

Displaying the ISSN

For online publications, the ISSN should be displayed on the title screen or the home page, or in other location such as the publisher and copyright information.

For publications that have any kind of physical documents, as for CD-ROMs or floppy disks, the ISSN should be displayed both on the disk label and on the title screen of the publication itself. If there is no title screen, the ISSN should be displayed in other location such as the carrier, the publisher and copyright information.