Official Resources & Trusted Sources
Learn more about each identifier type from the official agencies and authoritative sources. These links will help you understand the standards, search existing identifiers, and register new ones.
ISBN Resources
International Standard Book Number - uniquely identifies books and book-like products.
- International ISBN Agency - Official global ISBN authority
- ISBN Search - Free ISBN lookup database
- Bowker - Official US ISBN agency
- Wikipedia: ISBN - Comprehensive overview
ISSN Resources
International Standard Serial Number - identifies periodicals such as journals, magazines, and newspapers.
- ISSN Portal - ISSN International Centre
- ISSN Search - Official ISSN lookup tool
- Wikipedia: ISSN - Comprehensive overview
ISMN Resources
International Standard Music Number - uniquely identifies printed music publications.
- International ISMN Agency - Official ISMN authority
- Wikipedia: ISMN - Comprehensive overview
ISNI Resources
International Standard Name Identifier - uniquely identifies contributors to creative works including authors, musicians, and other creators.
- ISNI International Agency - Official ISNI organization
- ISNI Public Database - Search ISNI records
- Wikipedia: ISNI - Comprehensive overview
ORCID Resources
Open Researcher and Contributor ID - provides a persistent digital identifier for researchers and academics.
- ORCID - Official ORCID organization
- ORCID Search - Find researchers and contributors
- Wikipedia: ORCID - Comprehensive overview
General Library Resources
Additional resources for library and cataloging professionals.
- Library of Congress - US national library
- WorldCat - Global library catalog