ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)

An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit serial number used to uniquely identify a serial publication. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSN is used in ordering, cataloging, interlibrary loans, and other practices in connection with serial literature.

The ISSN system was first drafted as an International Organization for Standardization (ISO), international standard in 1971 and published as ISO 3297 in 1975. ISO subcommittee TC 46/SC 9 is responsible for maintaining the standard.

When a serial with the same content is published in more than one media type, a different ISSN is assigned to each media type. Eg. Many serials are published both in print and electronic media. The ISSN system refers to these types as Print ISSN (p-ISSN) and electronic ISSN (e-ISSN), respectively. Conversely, as defined in ISO 3297:2007, every serial in the ISSN system is also assigned in linking ISSN (ISSN-L), typically the same as the ISSN assigned to the serial in its published medium, which links together all ISSNs assigned to the serial in every medium.