The ISSN is an international identifier for serials. The abbreviation stands for International Standard Serial Number, standard no. 3297 of the International Organization for Standardization, ISO. Because so many serials are published in the world, and catalogues of them are kept on computers, it was decided to give each title one number that identifies it.
The National and University Library of Iceland is the national centre for the international ISSN system. The national centre’s role is to allocate ISSN numbers to Icelandic serials, register them in the database of the ISSN International Centre, and promote and spread the system in Iceland. Allocation of numbers and the information service are free of charge to publishers. In return, publishers must deposit copies of their publications with the Library under the legal deposit act.
ISSN numbers are allocated to newspapers, journals, series, yearbooks, annual reports and newsletters, in print and in electronic form alike. Publishers are advised to apply for an ISSN for a new serial before the first issue is published. The publisher is responsible for having the ISSN printed correctly on the serial, both in ordinary type and as a barcode.
For further information, e-mail isbn (at) landsbokasafn.is.
See also:
Rules for the use of ISSN numbers (.pdf, in Icelandic)
Application form