ISO 3297:2022

Overview

ISO 3297:2022 - Information and documentation - International standard serial number (ISSN) defines the ISSN as the internationally recognized, numeric identifier for serials and other continuing resources in any medium (print or electronic). The seventh edition clarifies ISSN construction, metadata, clustering of related resources, and administration by the ISSN network and Registration Authority. It establishes that ISSNs are opaque identifiers (no intrinsic meaning) and are applicable regardless of business model or publication status.
Note: ISO 3297:2022 does not include operational implementation procedures.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope of resources: serials (journals, magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings, monographic series) and ongoing integrating resources (updating websites, loose‑leafs, institutional repositories, directories, databases).
• ISSN construction: rules for forming the eight‑character ISSN (including a check digit - Annex A) and for machine legibility.
• Cluster ISSN: mechanism to group related continuing resources (e.g., multiple medium versions or language editions) with a separately‑prefixed cluster ISSN (see 3.4.1 and clause 7).
• Key title and abbreviated key title: establishment of a unique key title linked to an ISSN and use of ISO 4 abbreviations for abbreviated key titles.
• ISSN metadata and Register: required descriptive metadata elements for assignment and a central ISSN Register maintained by the Registration Authority (Annex C).
• Linking ISSN (ISSN‑L): support for linking different medium versions of the same continuing resource (Annex B).
• Administration: role of the ISSN network, Registration Authority and delegated Registration Agencies in assignment and maintenance (clause 11 and Annex D).
• Interoperability & machine readability: metadata profiles and guidance for machine legibility and systems interoperability (Annexes C and E).

Practical applications

• Cataloguing & discovery: enables unique identification of serials across library catalogs, aggregators and discovery services.
• Metadata exchange: standard metadata and ISSN Register support reliable data exchange between publishers, libraries, indexers, and aggregators.
• Resource linking: ISSN‑L and cluster ISSNs facilitate linking across print/electronic versions and related editions.
• Content management: useful for institutional repositories, databases, and publishing platforms to track and manage continuing resources.
• Rights, subscription and distribution systems: consistent identifiers simplify subscription management, content licensing and supply chains.

Who should use ISO 3297:2022?

• Libraries and cataloguers
• Publishers and content platforms
• ISSN Registration Agencies and metadata managers
• Indexing/abstracting services, discovery service providers
• Institutional repositories and digital library systems

Related standards and references

• ISO 4 (title word abbreviations) - used for abbreviated key titles
• ISO 5127 - terminology for information and documentation (referenced for definitions)
• Annexes in ISO 3297:2022 (A–E) cover check digit, ISSN‑L, metadata profile, administration and interoperability

ISO 3297:2022 is essential for consistent, international identification of serial and continuing resources - improving discoverability, metadata quality and interoperability across publishing and library ecosystems. Keywords: ISO 3297:2022, ISSN, International Standard Serial Number, cluster ISSN, ISSN metadata, ISSN‑L, ISSN Register.