January 2008 Changes to ISMNs
We hope that you are aware of the current revision of the ISMN standard (ISO 10957) and the important changes that will be made in the number structure of the ISMN system.
- The ISMN will change from 10 to 13 digits on 1 January 2008
- There will be a transition period of several months, but by end of 2008 all publications of notations should carry and be listed with the 13-digit number
- Existing ISMNs will be prefixed by 979-
- The leading M- of the 10-digit ISMNs will be replaced by 0- (zero)
- The resulting 13-digit number will be identical with the EAN-13 number that is currently encoded in the bar code
- Bar codes will carry the 13-digit ISMN with hyphenation above the barcode and the EAN-13, the identical number without hyphens or spaces, below the bar code.
What happens to ISMNs that have already been obtained by a publisher but are not yet assigned?
The publisher should continue to use these until they are exhausted but must convert the number formats to the new 13-digit standard, prefixed by 979, and replace the M- by 0- (zero).
e.g. ISMN M-345-24680-5 is converted to ISMN 979-0-345-24680-5
Will new ISMNs have to be assigned to products that have already been published?
Guitar
No. Existing ISMNs should be converted from the 10-digit format to the 13-digit format (prefixed by 979) by 2008. This will apply to records for any title for which transactions may occur and should therefore include out of print titles as well as those currently in the catalogue.
For barcoded notations: The ISMN and bar code on notations will not need to be changed until the publication is reprinted as the bar code already represents the EAN13 which is the same number as the new 13-digit ISMN.
May publishers re-use existing 10-digit ISMNs on a new publication adding a 979 prefix?
No. The addition of a 979 prefix to a previously used ISMN does not make a new ISMN and for that reason must not be assigned to a new publication.
Will I be able to communicate with trading partners using 10-digit ISMNs by end of 2008?
By 2008 the ISMN will be a 13-digit number and all mechanical systems will have to be able to accommodate its use in that form. Commercial systems may not support 10-digit ISMNs after that. In the transitional period, however, arrangements may be made between trading partners to support both formats.
Will publishers have to change to 13-digit ISMNs or can they continue using the 10-digit ones?
Publishers will have to change all their systems to accommodate the 13-digit ISMN by end of 2008. It is essential that mechanical systems are adapted by that date to enable communication with trading partners to continue without interruption.
If our company still has lots of 10-digit ISMNs, why do we need to reformat them as 13-digit ISMNs?
The International ISMN standard is changing. The ISMN system drives all trading in the industry internationally and the allocation of ISMN is organised on an international basis.
Should both a 10-digit and a 13-digit ISMN be printed in a publication?
For notations published in 2008 and after only the 13-digit ISMN should be printed. However, for barcoded titles published after 1 January 2008, publishers should print the 13-digit ISMN in eye-readable form above the bar code on the back cover of their publications, retaining the correct hyphenated structure.