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Library Classification and Cataloguing Theory
Notes Code format
The format of the ISSN is an eight digit number, divided by a hyphen into two four-digit numbers.
The last digit, which may be 0–9 or an X, is a check digit. The ISSN of the journal Hearing Research,
for example, is 0378-5955, the check digit is 5.
To calculate the check digit, the following algorithm may be used:
Calculate the sum of the first seven digits of the ISSN multiplied by its position in the number,
counting from the right — that is, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2, respectively:
= 0 + 21 + 42 + 40 + 20 + 27 + 10
= 160.
The modulus 11 of this sum is then calculated: divide the sum by 11 and determine the remainder.
If there is no remainder the check digit is 0, otherwise the remainder value is subtracted from 11 to
give the check digit:
11 – 6 = 5
5 is the check digit.
An upper case X in the check digit position indicates a check digit of 10.
To confirm the check digit, calculate the sum of all eight digits of the ISSN multiplied by its
position in the number, counting from the right (if the check digit is X, then add 10 to the sum). The
modulus 11 of the sum must be 0.
Code assignment
ISSN codes are assigned by a network of ISSN National Centres, usually located at national
libraries and coordinated by the ISSN International Centre based in Paris. The International Centre
is an intergovernmental organization created in 1974 through an agreement between UNESCO
and the French government. The International Centre maintains a database of all ISSNs assigned
worldwide, the ISDS Register (International Serials Data System) otherwise known as the ISSN Register.
The ISSN Register contains ISSN codes and descriptions for more than one million periodicals with
around 50,000 new records added yearly.
Comparison to other identifiers
ISSN and ISBN codes are similar in concept, where ISBNs are assigned to individual books. An ISBN
might be assigned for particular issues of a periodical, in addition to the ISSN code for the periodical
as a whole. An ISSN, unlike the ISBN code, is an anonymous identifier associated with a periodical
title, containing no information as to the publisher or its location. For this reason a new ISSN is
assigned to a periodical each time it undergoes a major title change.
Since the ISSN applies to an entire periodical a new identifier, the Serial Item and Contribution
Identifier, was built on top of it to allow references to specific volumes, articles, or other identifiable
components (like the table of contents).
Availability
The ISSN Register is not freely available for interrogation on the web but is available by subscription.
There are several routes to the identification and verification of ISSN codes for the general public.
the print version of a periodical typically will include the ISSN code as part of the publica-
tion information
most periodical websites contain ISSN code information
derivative lists of publications will often contain ISSN codes; these can be found through
on-line searches with the ISSN code itself or periodical title
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