9. ISMN and other international standard numbers

9.1. ISBN

Some music publications may be distributed through the book trade. Publishers issuing music materials intended for the book market may assign an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) in addition to the ISMN.

It is sometimes difficult to decide whether a publication (such as a song book, a hymnal, an album with extensive textual or illustrative material) is a music edition, a "normal" book, or both. In these cases also, both an ISMN and an ISBN may be assigned. If the publisher only wishes to use one type of number, the choice is at the publisher's discretion, but the ISMN may be preferred in case of doubt.

The ISBN system is administered by the International ISBN Agency, group agencies and national agencies. The application of the ISBN is described in a separate booklet.

The address of the International ISBN Agency is as follows:

International ISBN Agency
Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin - Preussischer Kulturbesitz
10772 Berlin
Germany
Tel.: (+49 30) 266-2496 or 2338
Fax: (+49 30) 266-2378
e-mail: isbn@sbb.spk-berlin.de
URL: http://isbn-international.org

9.2. ISSN

In addition to ISMN and ISBN, a complementary numbering system for serial publications also exists, the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN).

A serial is defined as any publication, regardless of medium, issued in successive parts, often bearing numerical or chronological designations, and intended to be continued indefinitely. (Serials should be distinguished from multi-volume publications, which are intended to be complete in a finite number of volumes. See Chapter 6.5.)

Serials include periodicals and series. There are only a few periodicals of printed music, but many music publications are issued in series. Both categories should be assigned an ISSN for the serial title (which will remain the same for all the issues of a periodical or individual volumes of a series) and an ISMN for each individual item in the series. (If the serial title changes, a new ISSN is necessary.)

The ISSN system is administered by the International Serials Data System (ISDS) whose address is:

ISSN International Centre
20 Rue Bachaumont
75002 Paris
France
Tel.: (+33 1) 448 82 220
Fax: (+33 1) 402 63 243
e-mail: issnic@issn.org
URL: http://www.issn.org

Publishers of serials should apply to the ISSN International Centre or to their national ISSN centre, if there is one, for ISSNs Publishers do not themselves assign ISSNs.

The ISMN and ISSN, where they are both assigned, must be printed on the publication and clearly identified.

9.3. ISRC

The ISMN is not targeted at sound or video recordings (unless they form part of a printed music publication; see Chapter 3). ISRC, the International Standard Recording Code, numbers each recording of a piece (but often not the physical item), regardless of the context or carrier on which it is issued. The ISRC is administered by IFPI (the International Federation of Phonogram and Videogram Producers):

IFPI Secretariat
54 Regent Street
London SW1 5PJ
Great Britain
Tel.: (+44 171) 878 79 00
Fax: (+44 171) 878 79 50
e-mail: info@ifpi.org
URL: http://www.ifpi.org