SIST ISO 10957:2024
(Main)Information and documentation — International standard music number (ISMN)
Information and documentation — International standard music number (ISMN)
ISO 10957:2009 specifies the International standard music number (ISMN), which is a means of uniquely identifying editions of notated music. It specifies the assignment of a unique ISMN on such editions so as to distinguish one edition of a title or one separate component of an edition from all other editions. ISO 10957:2009 also specifies the construction of an ISMN and its location on editions of notated music.
ISO 10957:2009 is applicable to editions of notated music. The ISMN can also be used to identify editions of notated music that are presented with other media to form an integrated whole (e.g. an edition that, together with a sound recording, forms a single product).
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of material in other media that are issued separately, such as sound or audiovisual products (e.g. CDs or DVDs), for which other standards such as ISO 3901 (International Standard Recording Code) and ISO 15706 (International Standard Audiovisual Number) are applicable.
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of the products themselves (CDs or DVDs), for which the European article numbering (EAN) 13-digit bar code can be used.
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé de la musique (ISMN)
Informatika in dokumentacija - Mednarodna standardna številka glasbene publikacije (ISMN)
Standard ISO 10957:2009 določa mednarodno standardno številko glasbene publikacije (ISMN), ki omogoča enolično identifikacijo posameznih izdaj glasbenega zapisa. Določa dodelitev enolične mednarodne standardne številke glasbene publikacije tem izdajam, da je mogoče razlikovati eno izdajo naslova ali en ločen sestavni del izdaje od ostalih izdaj. Standard ISO 10957:2009 prav tako določa izvedbo mednarodne standardne številke glasbene publikacije in njeno lokacijo na izdajah glasbenega zapisa.
Standard ISO 10957:2009 se uporablja za izdaje glasbenega zapisa. Mednarodno standardno številko glasbene publikacije je mogoče uporabiti tudi za identifikacijo izdaj glasbenega zapisa, ki skupaj z drugimi mediji predstavljajo celoto (npr. izdaja, ki skupaj z zvočnim posnetkom predstavlja en sam izdelek).
Mednarodna standardna številka glasbene publikacije ni primerna za identifikacijo gradiva v drugih medijih, ki so izdani ločeno, kot so zvočni ali avdiovizualni izdelki (npr. CD-ji ali DVD-ji), za katere se uporabljajo drugi standardi, kot sta ISO 3901 (mednarodna standardna oznaka za posnetke) in ISO 15706 (mednarodna standardna številka avdiovizualnih gradiv).
Prav tako ni primerna za identifikacijo izdelkov (CD-jev ali DVD-jev), za katere je mogoče uporabiti 13-mestno črtno kodo evropske številke izdelka (EAN).
General Information
Relations
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-oktober-2024
Nadomešča:
SIST ISO 10957:2010
Informatika in dokumentacija - Mednarodna standardna številka glasbene
publikacije (ISMN)
Information and documentation — International standard music number (ISMN)
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé de la musique (ISMN)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: ISO 10957:2021
ICS:
01.140.20 Informacijske vede Information sciences
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 10957
Third edition
2021-12
Information and documentation —
International standard music number
(ISMN)
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé de
la musique (ISMN)
Reference number
© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN) .2
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN . 2
4.2 Prefix element . 2
4.3 Publisher element . 2
4.4 Item element . 3
4.5 Check digit . 3
5 Presentation and location of the ISMN on notated music . 3
5.1 Presentation . 3
5.2 Location and display . 3
6 Assignment of an ISMN . 4
7 Administration of the ISMN system . 4
8 Association of an ISMN with ISMN metadata . 4
9 Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN . 4
Annex A (normative) Guidelines for the assignment and application of ISMNs .5
Annex B (normative) Check digit for the 13-digit ISMN . 7
Annex C (informative) Administration of the ISMN system . 9
Annex D (normative) Metadata for the registration of ISMNs.10
Annex E (normative) Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN .11
Bibliography .12
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 10957:2009), of which it constitutes a
minor revision.
The changes compared to the previous edition are as follows.
— The introductory texts for Clause 2 (Normative references) and Clause 3 (Terms and definitions)
have been revised to be accordance with the current ISO style.
— Notes in the definitions have been modified to "Note 1 to entry" in accordance with the current ISO
style.
— Clause 7 has been modified to remove specifics about the Registration Authority and provide the
URL to ISO’s list of Registration Authorities.
— Throughout the document, references to the ISMN Registration Authority were either made generic
or removed.
— Annex C has been modified to make all references to the Registration Authority generic.
— ISO 21047 and ISMN Users’ Manual have been removed from the Bibliography.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The International standard music number (ISMN) was developed by, and for, the music publishing sector
as a separate system to complement the International standard book number (ISBN). The existence
of the ISMN as a separate identifier system makes it possible to identify printed and notated music
as a distinct category of publication within the global supply chain and to develop trade directories
and similar services for the specialized market for music publications. In addition, some features of
the ISBN system, such as the inclusion of national and language groupings within the structure of the
ISBN and its administration, are not suited to the practices and organization of the music sector where
linguistic content does not have the same relevance that it does for textual publications. For these and
other practical reasons, the ISMN and ISBN co-exist as separate identification systems.
v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 10957:2021(E)
Information and documentation — International standard
music number (ISMN)
1 Scope
This document specifies the International standard music number (ISMN), which is a means of uniquely
identifying editions of notated music. It specifies the assignment of a unique ISMN on such editions to
distinguish one edition of a title or one separate component of an edition from all other editions. This
document also specifies the construction of an ISMN and its location on editions of notated music.
This document is applicable to editions of notated music. The ISMN can also be used to identify editions
of notated music that are presented with other media to form an integrated whole (e.g. an edition that,
together with a sound recording, forms a single product).
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of material in other media that are issued separately,
such as sound or audiovisual products (e.g., CDs or DVDs), for which other standards such as ISO 3901
(International Standard Recording Code) and ISO 15706 (International Standard Audiovisual Number)
are applicable.
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of the products themselves (CDs or DVDs), for which the
European article numbering (EAN) 13-digit bar code can be used.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15420, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — EAN/
UPC bar code symbology specification
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
check digit
added digit which can be used to verify the accuracy of the assignment of the ISMN through a
mathematical relationship to the digits contained in that number
3.2
edition
all copies of a notated music (3.5) resource produced from substantially the same original input and
issued by the same entity or group of entities or a person
Note 1 to entry: This covers material that is for sale, for hire, gratis, or for copyright purposes only.
3.3
ISMN prefix
prefix consisting of four digits of which the first segment of 3 digits is the product code "979" assigned
by the global GS1 (formerly EAN.UCC) product identification system and of which the fourth digit is 0
and defines the contingent reserved for notated music
Note 1 to entry: The European Article Numbering International-Uniform Code Council (EAN.UCC) was a supply
chain standards family name, formally the EAN.UCC System. In 2005, EAN changed its name to GS1.
3.4
item
edition of notated music (3.5), or a separately available component thereof
3.5
notated music
graphical representation of music in any format
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN)
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN
Starting from 1 January 2008, all ISMN shall consist of a thirteen-digit number (Arabic numerals 0 to 9
only) made up of the following four elements:
— the prefix element 979-0;
— a publisher element;
— an item element;
— a check digit.
EXAMPLE ISMN 9790345123458
When the 13-digit ISMN is presented in bar code on printed music publications, it shall be in accordance
with the specifications given in ISO/IEC 15420. Therefore, an ISMN presented in bar code is fully
compatible with GS1 data structures, including the EAN 13-bar code.
Information on the distribution and management of ISMN prefix ranges is given in the Registration
Authority’s users’ manual.
4.2 Prefix element
The first element
...
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 10957
Third edition
2021-12
Information and documentation —
International standard music number
(ISMN)
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé de
la musique (ISMN)
Reference number
© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN) .2
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN . 2
4.2 Prefix element . 2
4.3 Publisher element . 2
4.4 Item element . 3
4.5 Check digit . 3
5 Presentation and location of the ISMN on notated music . 3
5.1 Presentation . 3
5.2 Location and display . 3
6 Assignment of an ISMN . 4
7 Administration of the ISMN system . 4
8 Association of an ISMN with ISMN metadata . 4
9 Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN . 4
Annex A (normative) Guidelines for the assignment and application of ISMNs .5
Annex B (normative) Check digit for the 13-digit ISMN . 7
Annex C (informative) Administration of the ISMN system . 9
Annex D (normative) Metadata for the registration of ISMNs.10
Annex E (normative) Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN .11
Bibliography .12
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 10957:2009), of which it constitutes a
minor revision.
The changes compared to the previous edition are as follows.
— The introductory texts for Clause 2 (Normative references) and Clause 3 (Terms and definitions)
have been revised to be accordance with the current ISO style.
— Notes in the definitions have been modified to "Note 1 to entry" in accordance with the current ISO
style.
— Clause 7 has been modified to remove specifics about the Registration Authority and provide the
URL to ISO’s list of Registration Authorities.
— Throughout the document, references to the ISMN Registration Authority were either made generic
or removed.
— Annex C has been modified to make all references to the Registration Authority generic.
— ISO 21047 and ISMN Users’ Manual have been removed from the Bibliography.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The International standard music number (ISMN) was developed by, and for, the music publishing sector
as a separate system to complement the International standard book number (ISBN). The existence
of the ISMN as a separate identifier system makes it possible to identify printed and notated music
as a distinct category of publication within the global supply chain and to develop trade directories
and similar services for the specialized market for music publications. In addition, some features of
the ISBN system, such as the inclusion of national and language groupings within the structure of the
ISBN and its administration, are not suited to the practices and organization of the music sector where
linguistic content does not have the same relevance that it does for textual publications. For these and
other practical reasons, the ISMN and ISBN co-exist as separate identification systems.
v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 10957:2021(E)
Information and documentation — International standard
music number (ISMN)
1 Scope
This document specifies the International standard music number (ISMN), which is a means of uniquely
identifying editions of notated music. It specifies the assignment of a unique ISMN on such editions to
distinguish one edition of a title or one separate component of an edition from all other editions. This
document also specifies the construction of an ISMN and its location on editions of notated music.
This document is applicable to editions of notated music. The ISMN can also be used to identify editions
of notated music that are presented with other media to form an integrated whole (e.g. an edition that,
together with a sound recording, forms a single product).
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of material in other media that are issued separately,
such as sound or audiovisual products (e.g., CDs or DVDs), for which other standards such as ISO 3901
(International Standard Recording Code) and ISO 15706 (International Standard Audiovisual Number)
are applicable.
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of the products themselves (CDs or DVDs), for which the
European article numbering (EAN) 13-digit bar code can be used.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15420, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — EAN/
UPC bar code symbology specification
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
check digit
added digit which can be used to verify the accuracy of the assignment of the ISMN through a
mathematical relationship to the digits contained in that number
3.2
edition
all copies of a notated music (3.5) resource produced from substantially the same original input and
issued by the same entity or group of entities or a person
Note 1 to entry: This covers material that is for sale, for hire, gratis, or for copyright purposes only.
3.3
ISMN prefix
prefix consisting of four digits of which the first segment of 3 digits is the product code "979" assigned
by the global GS1 (formerly EAN.UCC) product identification system and of which the fourth digit is 0
and defines the contingent reserved for notated music
Note 1 to entry: The European Article Numbering International-Uniform Code Council (EAN.UCC) was a supply
chain standards family name, formally the EAN.UCC System. In 2005, EAN changed its name to GS1.
3.4
item
edition of notated music (3.5), or a separately available component thereof
3.5
notated music
graphical representation of music in any format
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN)
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN
Starting from 1 January 2008, all ISMN shall consist of a thirteen-digit number (Arabic numerals 0 to 9
only) made up of the following four elements:
— the prefix element 979-0;
— a publisher element;
— an item element;
— a check digit.
EXAMPLE ISMN 9790345123458
When the 13-digit ISMN is presented in bar code on printed music publications, it shall be in accordance
with the specifications given in ISO/IEC 15420. Therefore, an ISMN presented in bar code is fully
compatible with GS1 data structures, including the EAN 13-bar code.
Information on the distribution and management of ISMN prefix ranges is given in the Registration
Authority’s users’ manual.
4.2 Prefix element
The first element of a 13-digit ISMN shall be a 4-digit prefix. The first three digits of the ISMN prefix
shall be “979”, i.e, corresponding to the Bookland code within the GS1 system (see NOTE). The segment
containing “979” shall be separated for display purposes by a hyphen from the fourth digit (0) of the
ISMN prefix.
NOTE In 1980, the EAN Authority and the International ISBN Agency agreed to assign a specific 3-digit prefix
to a fictitious country designated as “Bookland”. The numerical country codes “978” and “979” were reserved for
this “country” to encode the ISBN. The code 979 was chosen to represent the 13-digit code.
4.3 Publisher element
The second element of the ISMN shall be the publisher element. It varies in length from publisher to
publisher according to the output of each publisher.
The publisher element shall be assigned by the Registration Authority for this document.
...
INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 10957
Third edition
2021-12
Information and documentation —
International standard music number
(ISMN)
Information et documentation — Numéro international normalisé de
la musique (ISMN)
Reference number
© ISO 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: +41 22 749 01 11
Email: copyright@iso.org
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN) .2
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN . 2
4.2 Prefix element . 2
4.3 Publisher element . 2
4.4 Item element . 3
4.5 Check digit . 3
5 Presentation and location of the ISMN on notated music . 3
5.1 Presentation . 3
5.2 Location and display . 3
6 Assignment of an ISMN . 4
7 Administration of the ISMN system . 4
8 Association of an ISMN with ISMN metadata . 4
9 Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN . 4
Annex A (normative) Guidelines for the assignment and application of ISMNs .5
Annex B (normative) Check digit for the 13-digit ISMN . 7
Annex C (informative) Administration of the ISMN system . 9
Annex D (normative) Metadata for the registration of ISMNs.10
Annex E (normative) Implementation guidelines for the 13-digit ISMN .11
Bibliography .12
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 46, Information and documentation,
Subcommittee SC 9, Identification and description.
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 10957:2009), of which it constitutes a
minor revision.
The changes compared to the previous edition are as follows.
— The introductory texts for Clause 2 (Normative references) and Clause 3 (Terms and definitions)
have been revised to be accordance with the current ISO style.
— Notes in the definitions have been modified to "Note 1 to entry" in accordance with the current ISO
style.
— Clause 7 has been modified to remove specifics about the Registration Authority and provide the
URL to ISO’s list of Registration Authorities.
— Throughout the document, references to the ISMN Registration Authority were either made generic
or removed.
— Annex C has been modified to make all references to the Registration Authority generic.
— ISO 21047 and ISMN Users’ Manual have been removed from the Bibliography.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
The International standard music number (ISMN) was developed by, and for, the music publishing sector
as a separate system to complement the International standard book number (ISBN). The existence
of the ISMN as a separate identifier system makes it possible to identify printed and notated music
as a distinct category of publication within the global supply chain and to develop trade directories
and similar services for the specialized market for music publications. In addition, some features of
the ISBN system, such as the inclusion of national and language groupings within the structure of the
ISBN and its administration, are not suited to the practices and organization of the music sector where
linguistic content does not have the same relevance that it does for textual publications. For these and
other practical reasons, the ISMN and ISBN co-exist as separate identification systems.
v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 10957:2021(E)
Information and documentation — International standard
music number (ISMN)
1 Scope
This document specifies the International standard music number (ISMN), which is a means of uniquely
identifying editions of notated music. It specifies the assignment of a unique ISMN on such editions to
distinguish one edition of a title or one separate component of an edition from all other editions. This
document also specifies the construction of an ISMN and its location on editions of notated music.
This document is applicable to editions of notated music. The ISMN can also be used to identify editions
of notated music that are presented with other media to form an integrated whole (e.g. an edition that,
together with a sound recording, forms a single product).
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of material in other media that are issued separately,
such as sound or audiovisual products (e.g., CDs or DVDs), for which other standards such as ISO 3901
(International Standard Recording Code) and ISO 15706 (International Standard Audiovisual Number)
are applicable.
The ISMN is not suitable for the identification of the products themselves (CDs or DVDs), for which the
European article numbering (EAN) 13-digit bar code can be used.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO/IEC 15420, Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — EAN/
UPC bar code symbology specification
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
check digit
added digit which can be used to verify the accuracy of the assignment of the ISMN through a
mathematical relationship to the digits contained in that number
3.2
edition
all copies of a notated music (3.5) resource produced from substantially the same original input and
issued by the same entity or group of entities or a person
Note 1 to entry: This covers material that is for sale, for hire, gratis, or for copyright purposes only.
3.3
ISMN prefix
prefix consisting of four digits of which the first segment of 3 digits is the product code "979" assigned
by the global GS1 (formerly EAN.UCC) product identification system and of which the fourth digit is 0
and defines the contingent reserved for notated music
Note 1 to entry: The European Article Numbering International-Uniform Code Council (EAN.UCC) was a supply
chain standards family name, formally the EAN.UCC System. In 2005, EAN changed its name to GS1.
3.4
item
edition of notated music (3.5), or a separately available component thereof
3.5
notated music
graphical representation of music in any format
4 Structure and syntax of an International standard music number (ISMN)
4.1 Basic structure and syntax of an ISMN
Starting from 1 January 2008, all ISMN shall consist of a thirteen-digit number (Arabic numerals 0 to 9
only) made up of the following four elements:
— the prefix element 979-0;
— a publisher element;
— an item element;
— a check digit.
EXAMPLE ISMN 9790345123458
When the 13-digit ISMN is presented in bar code on printed music publications, it shall be in accordance
with the specifications given in ISO/IEC 15420. Therefore, an ISMN presented in bar code is fully
compatible with GS1 data structures, including the EAN 13-bar code.
Information on the distribution and management of ISMN prefix ranges is given in the Registration
Authority’s users’ manual.
4.2 Prefix element
The first element of a 13-digit ISMN shall be a 4-digit prefix. The first three digits of the ISMN prefix
shall be “979”, i.e, corresponding to the Bookland code within the GS1 system (see NOTE). The segment
containing “979” shall be separated for display purposes by a hyphen from the fourth digit (0) of the
ISMN prefix.
NOTE In 1980, the EAN Authority and the International ISBN Agency agreed to assign a specific 3-digit prefix
to a fictitious country designated as “Bookland”. The numerical country codes “978” and “979” were reserved for
this “country” to encode the ISBN. The code 979 was chosen to represent the 13-digit code.
4.3 Publisher element
The second element of the ISMN shall be the publisher element. It varies in length from publisher to
publisher according to the output of each publisher.
The publisher element shall be assigned by the Registration Authority for this document.
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