Overview

Overview

xISSN is a Web service  that supports management of  serials information.  Users can supply an ISSN to find out about any predecessor, successor, and alternate ISSNs and titles, and find the electronic ISSN for a print title or vice versa.

xISSN offers a machine-ready XML service for easy integration into library applications, Web sites, link resolvers, cataloging tools, and anywhere top-quality serials data is needed. In addition, a human-ready demonstration interface known as Title History is available at no charge. 

See an example of Title History results.

See the xISSN API documentation.

How xISSN works

ISSNs are associated with each other using librarian-cataloged bibliographic records in WorldCat. ISSNs are related in two different ways: different editions of same serial (such as print and online editions) and historical relationships (ISSN changes that result from title changes, mergers, splits, etc.).

To use the service, submit an ISSN embedded in a URL to the xISSN server, and the server returns a list of associated ISSNs and relevant metadata. ISSNs for different editions of the same serial are grouped together. An ISSN group may also have historical relationships with other groups.

Pricing

The XML Web service is offered at no charge to OCLC cataloging members or any low-volume users, and for a fee to others. The Title History tool is free to everyone. 

You may receive associated ISSNs in either XML, XHTML, Python, JSON, or Ruby formats. The xISSN server supports REST-based requests as well as the OpenURL and unAPI protocols.

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