8.4.1. What is an ISSN credit?
Publishers are requested to pay a fee for ISSN assignment. Thus, you have to buy ISSN credits. An ISSN Credit is a unit of value representing an ISSN assignment. This unit of value is available to publishers registered on the extranet. It includes the ISSN data creation, maintenance and dissemination services. An ISSN credit offers you the possibility of requesting the assignment of an ISSN to one specific title, whatever the number of medium versions. If you request an urgent assignment, you are invited to send an “urgent request”, which costs two credits [see section 8.4.8 My ISSN assignment request is urgent. What should I do?]. Some requests are free of charge:
- requesting an ISSN assignment for a title already existing on another medium, - claiming the responsibility over a resource, - requesting the modification of an ISSN record for your registered resources.
8.4.2. How to purchase ISSN credits?
Log in to your personal area; from the left-hand menu, click on the button “Purchase ISSN credits”. Enter the number of ISSN credits needed in the right tranche (2-4 credits, 5-20 credits, more than 20 credits). Click on the button “Add to cart”, validate the amount. Click on “Carry out the payment”. You will be re-directed to a payment page where you must choose to pay by PayPal, Paysafe or by banking transfer (depending on your country). Follow the instructions and proceed to payment. The process is identical as the one for subscribing to ISSN portal [see section 9. You are a corporate customer - How to pay for ISSN portal subscription?].
8.4.3. How to request an ISSN?
Log in to your account [see section 8.2. How to register as a publisher?] From your personal area, make sure you have enough ISSN credits in your account, by checking the figure in red in the left-hand menu “Purchase ISSN credits”. If your balance is equal to 0, then click on the button “Purchase ISSN credits” in the left-hand side menu and proceed to online payment [see section 8.4.2. How to purchase ISSN credits?]. Click on the button “Request an ISSN” in the left-hand side menu. Fill in the web form thoroughly, providing all mandatory information in the fields marked with an (*) and additional information. The proofs of publication must be uploaded and attached to the web form. The allowed files types are: JPEG, PNG or PDF, with a maximum size of 10 Mb per title. If a document is missing, save your request as a draft and continue after you have all the documents ready for upload. Save the web form and send the request.
8.4.4. How many ISSN do I need?
You need a different ISSN:
- For each different language edition of the same publication, - For each different local edition of the same publication, - For each different local medium version of the same publication.
Please request each ISSN separately. By exception, you may send a single ISSN request for several different medium versions of a same publication (in that specific case, only one ISSN credit will be charged for the whole request) [See section 1. General information about ISSN]
8.4.5. What kind of documents should I gather before requesting an ISSN?
Before proceeding to your ISSN request, please gather: For a print version: complete issue or copy of the cover, title page and editorial page. The editorial page must show the name and address of the publisher, For a CD-ROM version: sample or copy of the label affixed on the disc and/or on the container with the name and address of the publisher printed on it. For an online version: the URL (electronic address) of the publication. The name and address of the publisher must be displayed on the publication. For a mobile version (for e-readers and smartphones): screenshots of the title screen and/or of any other screens showing the name and address of the publisher. These documents must be attached as JPEG, PNG or PDF files, with a maximum size of 10 Mb per title. If an element is missing, save your request as a draft and continue once you have gathered all the documents ready for upload.
8.4.6. When should I apply for an ISSN?
For a print publication, an ISSN shall be requested up to three (3) months before the release of the first issue. For an online publication, an ISSN is assigned only after the release of the first 2 issues, provided that these issues contain 5 articles at least.
8.4.7. What is the average processing time of an ISSN request?
The processing of the ISSN request by the ISSN International Centre, that is to say, the transition of the request from the status "pending" to "in process" will be handled within twenty (20) working days on average.
8.4.8. My ISSN assignment request is urgent. What should I do?
If you have at least 2 ISSN credits, you may request an urgent ISSN assignment from the ISSN International Centre. There is a limit of five urgent requests per day. Your request will be handled within five working days if the request is complete. If your request is incomplete, this processing period will run from the day when you have sent all the required items to the ISSN International Centre.
8.4.9. How will I know that my ISSN request was accepted?
You can follow the process of your ISSN assignment on your dashboard, in your Personal area. You also receive e-mails. [See section 8.3 Publishers’ area and section 8.4.11 How to communicate with a librarian?]. As soon as your request is accepted, the request is switch to “in process” status and the ISSN of the publication is provided. A provisional record is automatically generated in the Portal. Note however that this provisional record will be accessible in the Portal within one hour. When the resource is catalogued by an ISSN librarian, the request is either switch to “processed” status (for a publication) or “provisional” status (for a pre-publication). The corresponding updated record is be accessible in the Portal within one hour.
8.4.10. My publication has been assigned an ISSN. How should I print / display it?
According to the ISO standard 3297 which defines the ISSN and its uses, the ISSN should be printed/displayed this way: For print version, print this ISSN prominently on each issue of your publication, preceded by the letters ISSN, preferably in the upper right-hand corner of the cover page; For online version, display this ISSN prominently on the title screen, homepage and/or first page (for PDF formats) of your online publication, preceded by the letters ISSN. On your website, if you received 2 ISSN for print and online version, both ISSN can be displayed as follows: ISSN XXXX-XXXX (Online), ISSN XXXX-XXXX (Print)
8.4.11. How to communicate with a librarian?
Once you are logged in your personal area, you can access your mailbox from the left-hand menu “My Services”, clicking on the button “Messages”. You can:
- View your messages in your Inbox and reply, - Write and send a message mentioning the subject and specifying the tracking number if necessary, in order to contact a person in charge of your request, - Keep track of your sent messages.
When you receive a message in your personal area, you will be notified by e-mail that you have received a new message with a link to your personal area. In the same way, from your detailed dashboard, at the end of the line corresponding to every request, clicking on the button “Contact a librarian” will direct you to your mailbox in your personal area
8.4.12. Why was my ISSN assignment request rejected?
The ISSN International Centre may refuse to assign an ISSN, particularly in the following cases:
- an ISSN has already been assigned to the publication, - the publication is not eligible for an ISSN assignment, - the publication does not exist, - the data provided by the requester is incorrect or misleading.
8.4.13. My ISSN assignment request was rejected. Will I be reimbursed?
No, the ISSN International Centre does not reimburse the requester in case of a refusal to assign an ISSN to a publication. However, depending on the cases, the ISSN International Centre may refund your credit account. The refunded credit may then be used for subsequent requests.