October 28, 2020 U.S. ISSN Center To Launch New ISSN Request System

On Monday, Nov. 23, the Library’s U.S. ISSN Center will launch ISSN Uplink, a new  application and tracking system for International Standard Serial Numbers. The current system will close on Friday, Nov. 6 to support a smooth transition to the new system. Publishers and others who need ISSN will benefit from the new request process, which will be completely online. Applications submitted after Nov. 6 must be resubmitted after the new system launch. More information about Uplink and ISSN is available from the FAQ on the U.S. ISSN Center’s web page https://www.loc.gov/issn/faq/index.html.

ISSN Uplink will provide significant improvements over the current paper- and email-based application process. Regina Reynolds, director of the U.S. ISSN Center, called ISSN Uplink “the perfect early 50th anniversary present for the Library of Congress’s ISSN program that started in 1972.” Publishers and other users such as  Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s CONSER members will be able to apply online for ISSN, create accounts that include team members, track the status of their applications, communicate with ISSN staff members, and be able to see a history of all their applications, communications, and ISSN assigned. The applications submission history and record of communications in Uplink will allow ISSN staff to provide better service to users during the ISSN assignment process and for future inquiries.

ISSN is the international identifier for serials and other continuing publications in all media. The U.S. ISSN Center is part of the ISSN Network of over 90 country-based ISSN centers. The Center assigns ISSN to U.S. publications including journals, magazines, newspapers, databases, and certain web pages https://loc.gov/issn.

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