An ISBN in a publication record

ISBNs, ISSNs, and ISMNs

International Standard Numbers are a publication's fingerprint, a world-wide identifier that helps publishers, suppliers, and libraries locate, order, and track published material.

Applying for International Standard Numbers

Publishers need to apply for the International Standard Numbers (ISN) rather than your designer or digital producer. For the purposes of ISN, the publisher is the group, organisation, company or individual who is paying for the production of the publication. Authors can also apply if they are self-publishing.

Publishers can apply for an ISN when their publication is going to be made available to the public whether to purchase or at no cost to readers.

ISN's are a publication's fingerprint and cannot be reused on another publication. If you decide you will not be making your work available to the public, let us know so that we can update the ISN database to reflect that your ISN was not used.

Allow 3 working days for us to supply your number.

Who allocates International Standard Numbers?

The National Library of New Zealand is responsible for allocating International Standard Numbers for publications — books, serials and music — to publishers who are publishing in New Zealand.

A number is issued for each format of a publication, such as paperback, hardback, cd-rom, or online pdf.

ISBNs — International Standard Books Numbers

An ISBN is 13 digit unique identifier number assigned to books and other print, electronic, or multimedia publications. It is used for printed books and pamphlets containing more than four pages of text, maps, e-books, pdfs, Braille publications and audiobooks.

Journals, serials, and newspapers use International Standard Serial numbers instead – see below.

Ineligible products include advertising matter, websites, emails, games, art prints and posters, personal documents, stationery and customisable print-on-demand products.

Publishers issuing large numbers of publications can be given a block of numbers, which they use as required.

If you are unsure whether your product qualifies for an ISBN contact us.

Apply for an ISBN

ISSNs — International Standard Serial Numbers

An ISSN is an 8 digit unique identifier number assigned to the title of a periodic publication issued in successive parts, identified by a number and/or a date, linked by a common title, and intended to continue indefinitely.

It is used for magazines, newspapers, journals, annual publications (for example yearbooks and directories), and monographs-in-series (publications that have an individual title and a common title that links them together in a series).

Serials can be published in physical or electronic formats.

Serials do not include loose-leaf publications intended to be updated, such as manuals where the instructions are frequently updated.

Apply for an ISSN

ISMNs — International Standard Music Numbers

A unique identifier number is applied to printed music, such as a score or a part.

Apply for an ISMN

Contact us

Get in touch if you have any questions about the International Standard Numbers.

ISBN and ISMN

Email — isbn@dia.govt.nz
Phone — 04 474 3074

ISSN

Email — issn@dia.govt.nz
Phone — 04 474 3090