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.