ISSN/ISBN and Conference/Seminar Proceedings
ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) and
ISBN (International Standard Book Number) are two distinct identification codes
used for different types of publications. Here's a breakdown of how they apply
to conference/seminar proceedings:
ISSN:
ISSN applies to serial publications: These are publications issued in a continuing series
with individual issues that can be identified by numbering or dating. Examples
include journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Conference/Seminar Proceedings (usually): Proceedings are not typically considered serial
publications because they are not issued on a regular basis. Therefore, they
generally don't have an ISSN.
ISBN:
ISBN applies to monographic publications: These are non-serial publications that are complete
in one stand-alone volume. Examples include books, reports, and some conference
proceedings.
Conference/Seminar Proceedings (sometimes): In some cases, conference proceedings may be
published as a book, with its own ISBN. This is more common for formally
published proceedings or edited volumes that compile selected papers from a
conference.
Here's a table summarizing the key points:
Feature
ISSN
ISBN
Applies to
Serial publications
(journals, etc.)
Monographic publications
(books, etc.)
Conference/Seminar Proc.
Not usually
Sometimes (published as a book)
Look for ISBN on the Publication: If the proceedings are published as a book, the ISBN
will typically be printed on the copyright page or barcode on the back cover.
Publisher's Website: The publisher's website for the proceedings may list
the ISBN if it exists.
Library Catalog Search: Search for the proceedings in a library catalog. The
catalog record may indicate the ISBN if available.
Alternative Identification for
Conference Proceedings:
If the proceedings don't have an ISBN, they
might be identified by a different code assigned by the conference organizers
or publisher. This code might not be a standardized identification system like
ISBN, but it can still be helpful for referencing the specific publication.
In Conclusion:
ISSN is not typically used for conference/seminar
proceedings because they are not serial publications.
ISBN may be used for conference proceedings if they
are published as a complete book.
If no ISBN is available, alternative identification
codes assigned by the conference organizers might exist.
Feature
ISSN
ISBN
Applies to
Serial publications (journals, etc.)
Monographic publications (books, etc.)
Conference/Seminar Proc.
Not usually
Sometimes (published as a book)