ISSN

An International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is an eight-digit to <a href="/facts/Unique_identifier/NMcgc7qX">uniquely identify</a> a <a href="/facts/Serial_(publishing)/EeSKtJzw">periodical publication</a> (periodical), such as a magazine. The ISSN is especially helpful in distinguishing between serials with the same title. ISSNs are used in ordering, cataloging, interlibrary loans, and other practices in connection with serial literature.
The ISSN system was first drafted as an <a href="/facts/International_Organization_for_Standardization/IacYR7Yg">International Organization for Standardization</a> (ISO) <a href="/facts/International_standard/9R3SMtfH">international standard</a> in 1971 and published as ISO 3297 in 1975. ISO subcommittee <a href="/facts/TC_46%2fSC_9/HVoVqYuF">TC 46/SC 9</a> is responsible for maintaining the standard.
When a serial with the same <a href="/facts/Content_(media)/eW5vd3Dr">content</a> is published in more than one <a href="/facts/Media_(communication)/uflm14CI">media type</a>, a different ISSN is assigned to each media type. For example, many serials are published both in <a href="/facts/Printing/ta4QpeDE">print</a> and <a href="/facts/Electronic_media/IzPK2q4u">electronic media</a>. The ISSN system refers to these types as print ISSN (p-ISSN) and electronic ISSN (e-ISSN). Consequently, as defined in ISO 3297:2007, every serial in the ISSN system is also assigned a linking ISSN (ISSN-L), typically the same as the ISSN assigned to the serial in its first published medium, which links together all ISSNs assigned to the serial in every medium.

ISSN open-in-new

ISSN