A serial is a publication, in any medium, issued in successive parts and intended to be continued indefinitely.

This definition includes periodicals, newspapers, annuals (reports, yearbooks, directories, etc.), journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions of societies, monographic series and unnumbered series. The definition does not include multivolume sets made up of a finite number of parts, even if all parts are not issued simultaneously. Series which are intended to comprise a definite number of individual parts and loose-leaf publications intended for updating are also excluded. The International Standard Serials Number or ISSN was established within the framework of the UNESCOs World Science Information System (UNISIST) programme is an international network of operational national and regional centers, jointly responsible for the creation and maintenance of computer-based data banks, which contain essential information for the identification of serials published all over the world. It was first established as a project of UNESCO in Paris in 1972 to maintain a registry of serial publications all over the world. Under the system, each serial is given a unique identification code called the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). An ISSN does not only allow accessibility to periodical literature but advertise them as well. The ISSN is a two-tiered network with an International Center in Paris and national or regional centers established in countries which have agreed to participate. The ISSN Regional Center for Southeast Asia (ISSN-SEA) is based in Bangkok, Thailand. While the National Library of the Philippines serves as the National Center for ISSN. Operations of the National Center for ISSN in the Philippines are currently undertaken by the staff of the Bibliographic Services Division.

What is a serial?

An ISSN provides an efficient and economical method of communication between publishers and suppliers. An ISSN is used in libraries for identifying titles, ordering and checking-in of serials and claiming missing issues. An ISSN simplifies interlibrary loan systems and union catalogue reporting and listing. An ISSN, used as a standard numeric identification code, is suitable for computer use in fulfilling the need for file update and linkage, retrieval and transmittal of data.

National Library as part of its integrated bibliographic services. This is in keeping with the internationally accepted practice of establishing National Centers within the framework of national libraries together with the national agency for ISBN as part of its supportive programs.

Construction of ISSN
An ISSN consists of eight digits, the first seven being a unique title number and the eight, a computer check digit. This check digit guards against the computer accepting an incorrectly transcribed ISSN. To avoid confusion with other numbering systems, an ISSN is preceded by the letter ISSN, e.g. ISSN 1234-5678. ISSN do not incorporate any significance other than the unique identification of a serial. For each serial assigned with ISSN, there is a corresponding key title. This key title is a commonly accepted form of title, established at the time of the ISSN assignment. It is formulated by the responsible national center, according to standard ISSN rules, from information appearing on the title page. Because of the close link between the ISSN and the title, the ISSN must change when the title changes. When the publication of serial ceases, its ISSN must never be reused.

What is ISSN?

Where to print ISSN

The ISSN should be printed on all issues of a serial, on the top right hand corner of the front cover. It should always be preceded by the letters ISSN. When an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is also applicable, usually for monographic series, the two numbers should appear together, each preceded by its own prefix. The ISSN should be quoted on all descriptive and promotional literature regarding the serial.

Sample of registered publication with ISSN.

The ISSN applies mainly to journals and magazines with research and/or reference values, proceedings, annuals (yearbooks, reports, directories), newspapers widely circulated or with nationwide distribution and monographic series. The National Center as a matter of

Scope of ISSN

Advantages of the ISSN

The ISSN should be a basic part of a serial and its title. An ISSN can identify a title regardless of its language or country of origin. This is possible because each serial is assigned a unique and unchangeable number according to a standard scheme, adopted internationally.

ISSN in the Philippines

The ISSN National Center in the Philippines started operating in late 1975 with the National Science Development Board (NSDB) as the National Center. In 1981, the ISSN National Center was transferred to the

policy have excluded the following serial publications 1. pornographic, illustrated comics of magazines without research and/or reference value, ephemeral titles such as diaries, calendars, newsletter of events, in-house publication such as newsletter and bulletins, advertisement newspapers, high school college and university school organs, newspaper of local interest, leaflets, songhits/songbooks; and crossword puzzles and the like.

In order to facilitate the assignment of ISSN to new and changed serial titles, publishers are requested to send printed copies of the publication (if already available) or blueprint and/or galley proofs (if still to be published) to the ISSN National Center.

The EAN-13 codes normally begin with a code identifying the country of production of the article; a specific code was hence assigned to the land of serial publications, symbolized by 977. The EAN-13 barcode for serial publications is made up as follows: Let us take the ISSN 114-875X, associated to the following key title: GENCOD information (Paris). This is a serial published monthly, and we shall consider the March issue. The corresponding barcode would be: 9771144875007 03 977 Prefix 1144875 00 7 ISSN Price code Control 03 Add-on

ISSN and Barcoding

What is a barcode? A barcode is the optical translation, in the form of alternating vertical bars and spaces, of a numeric or alphanumeric code which allows the identification of an entity. There are several symbologies in barcoding which correspond to different coding requirements. The two most widespread symbologies, used for the barcoding of issues of serial publications, the EAN-13 and the 128 code, are applied to the following codes which use the ISSN. The ISSN and the EAN-13 barcode The EAN-13 is the most widely used in the world. We find it on the articles to be bought in supermarkets, shops, etc. The EAN 13 (it is called this way because it is a 13 digit code) is managed at international level by EAN (European Association for Article Numbering) which is situated in Brussels. An arrangement has been signed between EAN and the ISSN International Centre, according to which the ISSN was chosen as the identifying code for serial publications sold in mass distribution outlets (newsagents, supermarkets, etc.); the ISSN is thus used in forming the EAN-13 codes for serial publications.

issn
International Standard Serial Number
A unique code for the identification of serial publications, can be used wherever information on serials needs to be recorded or communicated.

Prefix: specific for serial publications (977) ISSN: transcribed without its hypen and without its control key, i.e. the eight and last digit (here: X) Price code: allows the indication of a particular price (special issue, double issue, etc.). If there is nothing special: 00 Control number: the control key which is used is that of the usual EAN-13 barcode Add-on: added at the end of the code; it can contain two or five digits and is used for issue numbering, which must always be converted into digits, even if there is no enumeration. There is no specific control key. In this example: 03 corresponds to the third month of the year (March issue). Any publisher or editor interested in registering serial publication can make inquiry to the: ISSN National Center The National Library of the Philippines T.M. Kalaw St., Ermita 1000 Manila Telefax: 524-10-11