Related Resources
- ISSN International Centre
- ISBN Agency, R.R. Bowker
- National Information Standards Organization (NISO)
- U.S. Copyright Office
- Copyright Clearance Center
- U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
- U.S. Postal Service
Contact information
Library of Congress
U.S. ISSN Center
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, DC 20540-4284
Tel.: (202) 707-6452
Email: [email protected]
Service hours:
Monday-Friday
9:30 am-5:00 pm
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
If the ISSN did not exist, someone would have to invent it!
|| About the U.S. ISSN Center ||
The U.S. ISSN Center, part of the international ISSN Network, assigns International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSN) to serials published in the U.S. The ISSN is a standard identifier for serials (e.g., journals, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, annuals) whether published in print, online or other media. Each medium version is assigned a separate ISSN.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
|| ISSN General Information ||
View our new brochure explaining the resources of the U.S. ISSN Center (PDF, 916 KB)
ISSN is for Serials
The ISSN explained in detail, including:
- Advantages to using the ISSN
- Instructions for obtaining an ISSN
- Definition of a serial
- Frequently Asked Questions About ISSN
ISSN for Electronic Serials
A separate ISSN is required for each medium. To date, thousands of ISSN have been assigned to serials on computer disk, CD-ROM and online electronic serials.
What's in a Name?
Presentation guidelines for serial publications (prepared by the Serials Section of ALCTS, American Library Association).
|| Special Topics ||
Searching in WorldCat
Your publication is now searchable by the title or the ISSN number as soon as the ISSN has been assigned.
|| ISSN Application Forms And E-mail address -- NEW! ||
If the federal government is not funded beyond 11:59 PM, January 19, the Library of Congress will be closed. Staff will not be responding to any submissions or requests until the library reopens. Thank you for your consideration.
We have revised our ISSN application form to produce draft catalog records from your information. The form is a "fillable" Word document.
The ISSN application spreadsheet is used to request ISSN for multiple titles already in publication.
Attach your completed form or spreadsheet and any needed scans of the cover, title page and publishing information (see instructions) to an email and send it to the new email address we set up just for applications: [email protected]
We send email acknowledgement of all receipts. Please allow time for us to acknowledge your email and extra time to receive and acknowledge postal mail (which can be delayed by offsite receipt and screening) before inquiring about its receipt. Please allow 6 – 8 weeks processing time for us to complete your ISSN request.
Link to ISSN Application Form (Word document, 61K)
Link to ISSN Application Spreadsheet (Excel document, 21K)
Link to ISSN Application Instructions
Our existing email account, [email protected] should be used for general queries, comments, and questions only. We are phasing out faxes; please use email instead.
Last Updated: January 19, 2018