The document discusses the International Standard Text Code (ISTC) which provides a unique identifier for linking different versions of a textual work. The ISTC is administered by the International ISTC Agency which oversees the assignment and registration of ISTC codes. ISTC codes will facilitate information exchange and optimize discovery of related works. The ISTC will support rights management and improve collections management by linking works to their various physical and digital manifestations through a single identifier.

1. An Emerging Standard
Andy Weissberg, Vice President of Identifier Services
July 10, 2009
The Changing Standards Landscape:
Creative Solutions to Your Information
Problems

2. “The pressing need for a standard tool for
linking different printed and digital
manifestations to a common title makes the
ISTC potentially the most important standard
for our industry since the ISBN.”
-Michael Holdsworth
The identification of digital book
content – BISG White Paper

3. The International ISTC Agency
• Comprised of Founding Members representing rights/royalties
management, bibliographic collections management and discoverability
sectors
– IFRRO, CISAC, Bowker and Nielsen
• Responsible for the promotion, coordination and supervision of the
International Standard Text Code (ISTC) standard and system.
• Maintains an accurate register of the registration agency elements that
have been assigned., including metadata and administrative metadata.
• Facilitate the review and resolution of duplicate applications for or
registration of textual works.

4. ISTC – An Overview
• International Standard Text Code (ISTC), provides a means of uniquely and
persistently identifying textual works in information systems.
• ISTC will facilitate the exchange of information between every point in the
supply chain on an international level.
• ISTC makes it possible to group products (physical, digital, etc.) containing
the same content, or even in some cases, different content with the same
origins.
• ISTC will optimize discovery, improve collections management, sales and
loans analysis.
• ISTC will support emerging rights and royalties claiming and processing
procedures.

5. ISTC – Linking Works & Manifestations
Textual work
created by
author
ISTC #A
Manifestation Manifestation Manifestation Manifestation
published in published in published as published as
hardback paperback audio-book e-book in PDF
format format format
ISBN #B ISBN #C ISBN #D ISBN #E

6. ISTC – Structure
“ISTC” only precedes the code for 4-digit “year element” Hyphens or spaces are for
display purposes display purpose only & are
not part of the ISTC value
ISTC 0A9-2008-00000007-C
3-hexadecimal character 8-hexadecimal character Hexadecimal
“registration agency element” “work element” Check digit

7. ISTC – Assignments
• In-copyright works rights-holders (publisher, author or agents) can
request ISTCs from an authorized ISTC Registration Agency
• Most registration agencies will be operated by bibliographic agencies and
Reproductive Rights Organizations. Current RA’s (pilot opportunities)
– Bowker
– Nielsen
– MVB (Germany) – September 2009
• ISTC assignments to out-of-copyright works may be requested by anyone,
but most likely libraries, particularly within scanning initiatives.
• ONIX for ISTC – standardized methodology for enabling assignments
• Links between works (ISTC) and products (ISBN) will be captured on
bibliographic databases utilized by search engines, libraries, retailers and
other channels providing discoverability

8. ISTC – Prospective Business Cases
• Streamlined Consumer Search & Discovery
• Efficient search behavior
●
Refined results and accuracy
in primary search vs.
intensified faceting
●
Make immediately available
multiple format options
●
Refined “happy accidents”

9. ISTC – Prospective Business Cases
• Book Rights Registry (BRR) Claiming Process
• More efficient “pre-populated”
sourcing and validation
●
Intelligent, consolidated
attribution of titles and
manifestations
•Validation use-cases
●
Product-level (format)
●
Work attributes
●
Contributors
• Future “contributor-level”
identifier interoperability
●
ISTC + ISBN + ISNI

10. ISTC – Prospective Business Cases
• Streamlined Collections Development & Mgmt.
• ISTC enhances FRBR
●
Metadata enables
consolidated edition grouping
within title-based display and
retrieval
●
Make immediately available
multiple format options
●
Optimized subject-level
search and retrieval

12. Thank You!
Questions, Answers & Comments
Andy Weissberg
Vice President of Identifier Services
908.219.0206
andy.weissberg@bowker.com
www.ISTC-International.org