ISSN: Interoperability, Identification, Innovation

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ISSNInteroperability, Identification, Innovation

• Regina Romano Reynolds
• National Serials Data Program
• Library of Congress

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OrISSN Sew What?
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Suits many brands and models
Plastic bobbins can be used on all machines that
used metal bobbins except those with magnetic
bobbin winders
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Standardized, Interchangeable Parts (Industrial
Age)
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Interoperability (Digital Age)

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Interoperability

• The ability of two or more systems or components
  to exchangeinformation and to use the
  information that has been exchanged. IEEE 90

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Standards in a Non-Standard World

• Libraries now less standardized
• Different ILS implementations handling of
  e-resources in or outside of catalog single vs.
  multiple record approach home-grown or
  purchased link resolution, etc.
• Libraries now interact with a greater variety of
  communities
• Publishers vendors, information industry more
  global partners

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ISSN and Interoperability

• Importing and exporting data to and from various
  sources (PAMS, AI services)
• Migrating to new systems
• Data Exchange, ONIX transactions
• Database management merging, matching
• ERMS
• ILS, OPAC
• De-duplication
• Linking!!
• Open URL, other reference linking (CrossRef,
  etc.)
• Linking from OPAC to external files, Web pages,
  etc
• Linking from databases to OPAC (hook-to-holdings
  )

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ONIX for Serials
OPACs
ISSN
ERMS
PAMS databases
AI databases
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Identifiers

• For parties (publishers, libraries,
  organizations, etc.) e.g., SAN more are needed!
• For services and/or packages can ISSN be used?
  (under consideration)
• For resources (including articles) ISBN, ISMN,
  ISSN, DOI, SICI

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ISSN and Identification

• Original, basic function of the ISSN
• Numerical equivalent of a unique title (i.e., key
  title)
• Why identify?
• Titles are difficult to search and match on
• Many titles are the same or similar
• So titles wont get lost in databases

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LinkingConnecting Users to Content
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Getting Users From Citation to Online Article

• Does the library subscribe to this journal?
• In which aggregation(s) or package(s) can this
  journal be found?
• Which aggregations or packages contain the volume
  and issue in which the article appears?
• If the library does not have the article in
  online form, does it have it in print?

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OpenURL Link Resolvers
Link resolution software resolves OpenURL
requests by

• - Identifying the bibliographic elements of an
  OpenURL, especially the ISSN
• - Comparing those elements to institution-specific
  resolution tables
• - Identifying the most appropriate services to
  present to a user

Based on a slide by Steve Shadle
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OpenURL Link Resolution
User submits database search
Database validates user and performs search
User selects individual citation
Clicking SFX button sends Open URL to SFX server
SFX server resolves URL producing customized
result
xyz.edu student
XYZ.edu SFX user
result
server
BIOSIS
Based on a slide by Steve Shadle
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Murky Bucket SyndromeLorcan Dempsey, OCLC

ISSN
OPAC Record ISSN 1234-567X (print)
SFX Knowledge Base
ISSN 5432-1234 (Online)
The Library does not hold this title in print
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Current Situation

• Many publishers use only 1 ISSN for print and
  online
• Some OPACs have single record policy others have
  separate records
• OpenURL linking, record merging, de-duping, etc.
  dont work!
• Confusion, dissatisfaction

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What Should ISSN Identify?

• Works?
• all related resources, regardless of title
  changes, medium, language
• Titles?
• all resources having the same title regardless of
  medium
• Bibliographic entities?
• resources that would be cataloged on a separate
  bibliographic record
• Products?
• any continuing resource or version a publisher
  needs to identify for selling purposes

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Innovation

• Revise ISSN standard (ISO 3297)
• Cover all continuing resources, integrating as
  well as serials
• Provide for identification at multiple levels
• Establish ISSN User Group
• Develop new services at ISSN International Centre
  (resolution and look-up)
• Clarify, communicate what does ISSN identify?

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Possible ISSN Identificationlevels

• Title level One ISSN for t-shirt and online
  version
• Middle level separate ISSN for t-shirt and
  online version
• Product level separate ISSN for online, plus one
  each for small, medium and large size shirts!

S
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Middle Level Identification

• ISSN will remain at this level
• Current level, per ISSN Manual separate ISSN for
  print, online, CD-ROM, etc. versions
• Corresponds generally to same level at which
  bibliographic resources are now cataloged
• Reproductions remain an issue
• Title-level and product-level identification will
  be in addition to this existing base level

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Title-Level Identification

• One of the cluster of multiple ISSN to be
  designated the tISSN
• Rules to be developed for choosing tISSN
• Informational annex containing instructions on
  how to use tISSN for title-level identification
  in conjunction with other standards such as DOI,
  OpenURL, and Info URI
• MARC 024 (other standard identifier) in new
  subfield for tISSN

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Made-Up Example 024 tISSN
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Title-Level Identifier
Embed tISSN in another identifier according to
instructions in the new standards informational
annex
?
E.g., DOI tISSN1234-567X URN
tISSN1234-567X Info URI tISSN 1234-567X
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tISSN
DOI
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Info URI

• Intended to be used for bibliographic resources
• Supports identification without resolution
• Enthusiasm in the library/information world
  ANSI/NISO support
• Syntax can embed ISSN
• Would require development work to enable
  resolution
• In development

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Advantages To Embedded Approach

• Keeps title-level identifier within the realm of
  the ISSN
• Avoids having to invent a totally new standard
• Demonstrates ISSN convergence with emerging
  standards and usage
• Capitalizes on functionality of the ISSN Register

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Title-Level ISSN Uses

• OpenURL resolution regardless of multiple ISSN
  for manifestations
• Collocation in ERMS
• OPAC searching to retrieve all manifestations
• All situations where identification without
  regard to medium is desired

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Product-Level ISSN

• To identify at a finer level of granularity,
  e.g., different sizes of diskettes, hardback vs.
  paperback version, PDF vs. HTML
• Needed by subscription agents, magazine
  distributors, others for precise ordering,
  claiming, licensing, pricing
• Potential to work with 13-digit EAN or other
  systems (RFID??)

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EAN for a French serial
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ISSN Link-Resolution and Look-up Service

• Will use ISSN Register (Paris)
• Real-time or batch query look-up
• Human or computer look-up desirable
• Retrieval of all metadata associated with an ISSN
• Retrieval of all ISSN related to another ISSN
• Interest among OpenURL service vendors and others
  is being determined

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Communication, Clarification, Maintenance

• Revised standard should clearly state assignment
  policies
• Assignment policies should be posted on ISSN IC
  and NC Web sites
• New or re-stated policies will be easier to
  communicate to requestors and easier to enforce
• Possible development of an ISSN subscription
  service to push new and changed ISSN to
  subscribers ??

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ISSN User Group

• Advisory group of user
• representatives
• 5 12 members
• Representatives from industry organizations,
  union lists of serials
• Goal first meeting April 2005

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ISSN (ISO 3297) Revision Timetable

• Feb. 2005 WG meets (develops draft)
• March 2005 WG comments via email on working
  draft
• May 2005 WG meets to finalize draft
• June 2005 draft sent to SC9 members for voting
• Sept. 2005 voting ends results sent to WG5
• Oct. 2005 WG meets to review comments and revise
  draft (if necessary)

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Depending on Results of Voting and Revision (if
necessary)

• Jan. 2006 Voting on DIS (draft)
• June 2006 Voting ends results compiled
• August FDIS (final draft) voting begins, if
  necessary
• Dec. 2006 New edition published!

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If the ISSN did not exist, someone would have to
invent it
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ISO Working Group 5 ISSN Revision Amsterdam,
February 2005
rrey_at_loc.gov