International Standard Book Number Research Articles

Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you?

Changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature are decided upon every six years at Nomenclature Sections associated with International Botanical Congresses (IBC). The XVIII IBC was held in Melbourne, Australia; the Nomenclature Section met on 18–22 July 2011 and its decisions were accepted by the Congress at its plenary session on 30 July. Several important changes were made to the Code as a result of this meeting that will affect publication of new names. Two of these changes will come into effect on 1 January 2012, some months before the Melbourne Code is published. Electronic material published online in Portable Document Format (PDF) with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) or an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will constitute effective publication, and the requirement for a Latin description or diagnosis for names of new taxa will be changed to a requirement for a description or diagnosis in either Latin or English. In addition, effective from 1 January 2013, new names of organisms treated as fungi must, in order to be validly published, include in the protologue (everything associated with a name at its valid publication) the citation of an identifier issued by a recognized repository (e.g. MycoBank). Draft text of the new articles to do with publication is provided and best practice is outlined. © The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167, 133–136. To encourage dissemination of the changes made to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this article will be published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Brittonia, Cladistics, MycoKeys, Mycotaxon, New Phytologist, North American Fungi, Novon, Opuscula Philolichenum, PhytoKeys, Phytoneuron, Phytotaxa, Plant Diversity and Resources, Systematic Botany and Taxon.

Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you?

Changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature are decided upon every six years at Nomenclature Sections associated with International Botanical Congresses (IBC). The XVIII IBC was held in Melbourne, Australia; the Nomenclature Section met on 18–22 July 2011 and its decisions were accepted by the Congress at its plenary session on 30 July. Several important changes were made to the Code as a result of this meeting that will affect publication of new names. Two of these changes will come into effect on 1 January 2012, some months before the Melbourne Code is published. Electronic material published online in Portable Document Format (PDF) with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) or an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will constitute effective publication, and the requirement for a Latin description or diagnosis for names of new taxa will be changed to a requirement for a description or diagnosis in either Latin or English. In addition, effective from 1 January 2013, new names of organisms treated as fungi must, in order to be validly published, include in the protologue (everything associated with a name at its valid publication) the citation of an identifier issued by a recognized repository (e.g. MycoBank). Draft text of the new articles to do with publication is provided and best practice is outlined. © The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2011, 167, 133–136. To encourage dissemination of the changes made to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this article will be published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Brittonia, Cladistics, MycoKeys, Mycotaxon, New Phytologist, North American Fungi, Novon, Opuscula Philolichenum, PhytoKeys, Phytoneuron, Phytotaxa, Plant Diversity and Resources, Systematic Botany and Taxon.

Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you?

Changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature are decided on every 6 years at Nomenclature Sections associated with International Botanical Congresses (IBC). The XVIII IBC was held in Melbourne, Australia; the Nomenclature Section met on 18-22 July 2011 and its decisions were accepted by the Congress at its plenary session on 30 July. Several important changes were made to the Code as a result of this meeting that will affect publication of new names. Two of these changes will come into effect on 1 January 2012, some months before the Melbourne Code is published. Electronic material published online in Portable Document Format (PDF) with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) or an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will constitute effective publication, and the requirement for a Latin description or diagnosis for names of new taxa will be changed to a requirement for a description or diagnosis in either Latin or English. In addition, effective from 1 January 2013, new names of organisms treated as fungi must, in order to be validly published, include in the protologue (everything associated with a name at its valid publication) the citation of an identifier issued by a recognized repository (such as MycoBank). Draft text of the new articles dealing with electronic publication is provided and best practice is outlined.To encourage dissemination of the changes made to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this article will be published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Brittonia, Cladistics, MycoKeys, Mycotaxon, New Phytologist, North American Fungi, Novon, Opuscula Philolichenum, PhytoKeys, Phytoneuron, Phytotaxa, Plant Diversity and Resources, Systematic Botany and Taxon.

Translation into Chinese of: "Changes to publication requirements made at the XVIII International Botanical Congress in Melbourne - what does e-publication mean for you?". Translated by Li-Bing Zhang

Changes to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature are decided on every 6 years at Nomenclature Sections associated with International Botanical Congresses (IBC). The XVIII IBC was held in Melbourne, Australia; the Nomenclature Section met on 18-22 July 2011 and its decisions were accepted by the Congress at its plenary session on 30 July. Several important changes were made to the Code as a result of this meeting that will affect publication of new names. Two of these changes will come into effect on 1 January 2012, some months before the Melbourne Code is published. Electronic material published online in Portable Document Format (PDF) with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) or an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will constitute effective publication, and the requirement for a Latin description or diagnosis for names of new taxa will be changed to a requirement for a description or diagnosis in either Latin or English. In addition, effective from 1 January 2013, new names of organisms treated as fungi must, in order to be validly published, include in the protologue (everything associated with a name at its valid publication) the citation of an identifier issued by a recognized repository (such as MycoBank). Draft text of the new articles dealing with electronic publication is provided and best practice is outlined.To encourage dissemination of the changes made to the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, this article will be published in BMC Evolutionary Biology, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, Brittonia, Cladistics, MycoKeys, Mycotaxon, New Phytologist, North American Fungi, Novon, Opuscula Philolichenum, PhytoKeys, Phytoneuron, Phytotaxa, Plant Diversity and Resources, Systematic Botany and Taxon.

Capturing Caribbean publications: the beneficial role of the regional ISBN agency

PurposeAcross the Caribbean Sea, the regional International Standard Book Number (ISBN) agency headquartered at the Documentation Centre at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana manages the distribution of ISBNs in the Caribbean Area. The purpose of this paper is to look at the role of the Documentation Centre and the benefits of the regional ISBN agency in managing the group code, 976, to the Caribbean region. This paper will illustrate book publishing challenges in the region, explain the use of ISBNs, describe the role of the regional agency in administering ISBNs in the region and as such, note the benefits of this role in making Caribbean information internationally accessible.Design/methodology/approachThe paper takes a detailed look at the purpose of the ISBN number and the role of the Documentation Centre at CARICOM in serving the needs of members of the book‐publishing industry of the Caribbean through a view of the work of the Documentation Centre and a review of the literature.FindingsThe paper enumerates the benefits of having a regional ISBN agency in the Caribbean area at a library thereby improving access to Caribbean titles by decision makers; the paper illustrates that the regional ISBN agency at CARICOM is ensuring that ISBN publishing standards are adhered to in the region thereby speaking an international language that facilitates information sharing via standardized book numbering.Practical implicationsThe paper reports on the role of the Documentation Centre in managing ISBNs in the Caribbean region, and as such should be of interest to the ISBN community both locally and internationally.Originality/valueThe work of the Documentation Centre has not been publicised within the region or even internationally, this research paper provides an opportunity to highlight this service.

Internet Search Environment Number System: Search infrastructure for a federated environment

The Internet Search Environment Number (ISEN) is a proposed new Internet standard analogous to the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and the International Standard Serial Number (ISBN) that would allow Internet searchers to locate more authoritative and reliable information sources than can be identified using conventional search engines. ISEN is also a metadata creation environment and a search engine. For end users, ISEN offers metadata-based basic and advanced search options, as well as features and functionalities that support database providers and ISEN editors and catalogers. In addition, ISEN is an environment in which external associations, businesses, and organizations can develop value-added services that build on the rich metadata provided by the ISEN service. In general, databases are dynamically driven and routinely updated, producing many versions of the initial database content on a regular basis. ISEN is intended to facilitate the identification of a variety of „search environments. A search environment can be defined as a body of structured information with its own search algorithm. These search environments include not only databases, but digital libraries, institutional repositories, knowledge bases, online public- access catalogs (OPACs) and peer-to-peer (P2P) systems. At the core of the ISEN system is the Internet Search Environment Number (ISEN), which is a unique number based on the underlying technologies of Digital Object Identifiers (DOI), handles from the Handle System, and Universal Unique Identifiers (UUIDs). ISEN will be supported by metadata professionals who will provide the metadata for identified search environments.

Report of the Special Committee on Electronic Publication

AbstractThe Special Committee on Electronic Publication was re‐established at the XVII International Botanical Congress (IBC) in Vienna in 2005, with the mandate to consider on the issues relating to the electronic publication of nomenclatural novelties and to report to the XVIII IBC in Melbourne in 2011. With the global push to inventory biodiversity and to develop information systems to disseminate data, issues surrounding speed of publication, copyright and licensing, and permanence and accessibility of information have surfaced. Electronic publication is central to these issues, and the insistence of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Code) on distribution of printed matter for effective publication is seen by many as a hindrance to progress. Against this backdrop, the Committee conducted extensive negotiations and discussions on a wide range of issues on electronic publication, which are here summarized in the Committee's report. The Committee unanimously supports the extension of effective publication to electronic publication, but in a well‐regulated way that will establish the basis for long‐term archiving and discovery. The Committee has put forward a set of eleven proposals (Special Committee on Electronic Publication, 2010) to amend the Code to permit electronic publications to be considered effectively published under specified conditions on or after 1 January 2013. It is proposed that electronic material will be effectively published only when distributed in Portable Document Format (PDF) in an online serial publication with an International Standard Serial Number (ISSN). An additional proposal extends this to PDF with an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). Further proposals strengthen this by forbidding post‐publication alteration and by discounting preliminary versions as not effectively published. The current method for establishing the date of effective publication is amended to account for electronic material. These changes to the Articles of the Code are supported by a set of Recommendations for best practice for electronic publication of nomenclatural novelties, covering aspects of archiving and immutability, dissemination of data, and clear designation of versions as preliminary or final. This report provides the supporting documentation for the set of proposals that are also published in this issue. It is necessary that the two be read alongside each other.

Increasing Error Detection and Correction Efficiency in ISBN Code

The current International Standard Book Number (ISBN) code is designed to detect any error and correct anysingle-error and double-error created by the transposition of two digits. The decoder of the code would have toknow that the detected error is a single or a double transposition if they are to correct it. In this paper we showhow the efficiency in error detection and correction in the ISBN can be significantly increased. To achieve this weredesigned the existing ISBN by converting it to a cyclic code. This code can determine if there is a single erroror a combination of errors, identify the position of the error(s) and consequently correct both transpose and nontransposeerrors. This work will help in providing reference for a coding system with high efficiency in errorcorrection, a quality that is important for both local and international publishers.

Location and shelf mapping from OPAC search results: with reference to Wichita State University

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine dynamic mapping of holding locations to the animated maps in a library catalog which aims to resolve complex shelving situations, augment the user experience in locating library materials and enrich the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC) by integrating external programming into the Integrated Library System (ILS).Design/methodology/approachDynamic mapping displays animated direction maps for users to locate quickly the items found in the library catalog. The maps are displayed in accordance with various shelving policies. At Wichita State University Libraries, the original bibliographic data are captured from the record results page in the OPAC and transferred to a processing program residing on another server. Instead of transferring ISBN/ISSN (International Standard Book Number/ International Standard Serial Number, as practiced by some libraries) to display the Syndetic cover images, it transfers bibliographic ID and a few other fields from MARC (MAchine‐Readable Cataloging) records to a processing program which queries the ILS database for extracting data needed for the dynamic map processing. The dynamic map system consists of three sections: queried data from the ILS database, programming logic, and dynamic maps.FindingsCompared to title‐level shelving map displays that have been implemented in some libraries, holding level map displays solve the problem of complex shelving situations, such as a title with multiple copies shelved in different locations and/or in different formats.Originality/valueThis project received very positive feedback from the library community and this paper will provide information to those libraries which are interested in dynamically presenting holding information in their OPAC.

Interpretation and Transfer Algorithm in International Standard Book Number and Books Bar Code

Interpretation and Transfer Algorithm in International Standard Book Number and Books Bar Code

Cracking the Code: Technology, Historiography, and the “Back Office” of Mass Culture

This article contributes to the project of historicizing the emergence of printed books as a mass cultural form in the 20th century and after, in addition to exploring the political‐economic struggles both occasioning and occasioned by their constitution as such. In doing so, it both models and reflects on what a possible historiography of technology “after social constructionism” might look like. More specifically, it attempts to account for the behind‐the‐scenes or “back office” processes through which commodification takes place in the sphere of book distribution, and it does so by focusing principally on communication and information technologies such as the international standard book number (ISBN) and machine readable bar codes. This history, overall, complements the more hopeful narratives of mass culture’s democratizing potential, by telling a story about how increased opportunities for middle class social advancement depend on intensified—and intensely technological—work processes for those employed in the sphere of commodity distribution. This essay demonstrates, moreover, how dominant metaphors and frameworks that have guided Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) research (e.g., “actor‐networks,” “seamless webs,” and so forth) must be amended to account better for power, contradiction, and antagonism within the history of technology.

Theses as media for effective publication: new data for an old problem

Prior to the St. Louis Congress, Farjon (1998) submitted a proposal to clarify the position of theses as media for effective publication. He suggested that theses should not be considered a means of effective publication unless they bore an International Standard Book Number (ISBN). The Special Committee on Harmonization reporting to the St. Louis Congress was favourable to the proposal, but the Rapporteurs noted that it would likely be considered as discriminatory by botanists in many countries, including those of the developing world (Greuter & Hawksworth, 1999: 101). The preliminary mail vote revealed quite strong opposition to the proposal (Art. 30, Prop. D): yes 74; no 129; Editorial Committee 8; Special Committee 5 (34.3% in favour) (Barrie & Greuter, 1999; Greuter & al., 2000b: 141). The subject was intensely discussed during the Nomenclature Section of the XVI International Botanical Congress (Greuter & al., 2000b: 141-154) and finally failed to gain the necessary 60% majority on a card vote (yes 354; no 349; 50.4% in favour). As noted in the report of the Nomenclature Section (Greuter & al., 2000b: 154), D. Keil then presented a motion that was accepted to the effect that, considering the defeat of Art. 30 Prop. D and the registration proposals, and in view of the uncertain status of names and typifications proposed in theses, dissertations, and other so-called grey literature, a Special Committee to study the effectiveness of publication of such literature be established. This contribution is intended to help restart the discussion as well as to contribute to the deliberations of the Special Committee by presenting some examples of nomenclatural novelties and typifications that first appeared in theses and which were deliberately published later in regular and widely distributed journals. Such examples are taken entirely from Brazilian theses. In all the examples below, the authors did not make totally clear whether they considered their own theses media for effective publication. However, such theses have occasionally been considered by other authors to be means of effective publication. An unmistakable example of the latter is that of Pteris denticulata Sw. var. tristicula (Raddi) Prado below. All theses in Brazil must be considered printed matter since they are reproduced by xerox copying and are di tributed to more than one scientific library. Such a situation fulfils the minimum requirements for effective publication according to the St. Louis Code (Greuter & al., 2000a: Art. 29.1). Excellent discussions regarding the meaning of printed matter and the criteria for effective publ cation appear in Weresub & McNeill (1980), Brummitt (1980), and Nicolson (1980). In the following examples, two typifications and five nomenclatural novelties were clearly presented in theses as novelties. In all cases, these novelties were presented str ctly following conditions for priorable typification or valid publication of names according to the ICBN, e.g., as a new combination or a new status.

Detection and correction of multiple errors in general block codes

The paper deals with general block codes where the symbol sets at each coordinate do not have to be the same. First of all, the classical Hamming bound inequality for error correcting systems is extended to this case. Next, a new necessary condition for systems able to detect all 1,…, 2 k — 1-errors ( k ∈ ℕ) is proved. From this a new bound for such systems is proved. All results are proved to be optimal. The results have applications, e.g., in ISBN (International Standard Book Number) or ISSN (International Standard Serial Number)-like systems.

The UNIverse Project: state‐of‐the‐art of the standards, softwares and systems which will underpin the development. Part 2: record syntax conversion, result set de‐duplication, and multilingual thesauri

Provides a brief introduction to the UNIverse Project and its major objectives. Continues the overview of the international standards, softwares and systems which will enable bibliographic searching of multiple distributed library catalogues. Part 2 reviews three further areas: record syntax conversion which covers UNIMARC, SGML and Dublin Core; result set de‐duplication, covering International Standard Book Number (ISBN), International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), the Universal Standard Bibliographic Code (USBC), Serial Item and Contribution Identifier (SICI), Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) and Uniform Resource Names (URN); and multi‐lingual thesauri.

USBC (Universal Standard Bibliographic Code): its origin and evolution

Reviews the 20 years' evolution and development of the Universal Standard Bibliographic Code (USBC), as a means of overcoming the weaknesses inher ent in the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), from its first proposal in 1974. Briefly describes the various phases of USBC's development, includ ing : first extensive testing (1977-1979); first research project (1980-1982); work performed on USBC as part of proposals for the setting up of the United Kingdom Library Database System (UKLDS) (1982-1984), in which USBC was to be used to create a merged retrospective database of MARC and non MARC cataloguing records; the DOCMATCH Projects, using the USBC with periodical articles (1987-1989); refining of USBC by means of expert systems (1986-1987); use of USBC to clean up the BLCMP database (1989-1991); and the QUALCAT Project, to set up a large bibliographic database integrating records from different databases and using USBC for merging, cleaning and control and to develop an expert system to select the best record from a num ber of duplicates (1989-1991). Reports briefly on the project, undertaken by Bradford University, Department of Computing, UK, to explore the application of USBC technology to the British Library Document Supply Centre's com puterized interloans system. Concludes that, although the USBC has never achieved the status of an accepted standard, it has more than made up for this by demonstrating its adaptability and power in a range of situations requir ing an ability to detect duplicate records and to merge and combine files.

The ISBN: A Good Tool Sorely Misused

It wasn't too many years ago that the creation of a new system for identifying books was announced to the book world with great fanfare and rich promises. The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) was touted as the ultimate tool for keeping track of the hundreds of thousands of titles still available at any given time; it was predicted that the ISBN would revolutionize the book ordering process for both libraries and bookstores. On the face of it, there was no reason to believe that the ISBN could not fulfill its promise of making life infinitely easier for those whose job is buying books.

An alternative ISBN checking algorithm

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) has an inbuilt validity check. An alternative checking algorithm to that defined by the Standard Book Numbering Agency is presented. The alternative algorithm is demonstrated to pro duce identical results and is marginally more efficient.

A Proposal for Achieving Uniformity in the Citation of International Documents

The desirability of applying uniform standards to international documentation is well recognized. The need to “identify and consider adoption of established, relevant standards aimed at improving retrieval” was expressed by Helen Seymour at the 1972 International Symposium on the Documentation of the United Nations and Other Intergovernmental Organizations. Among the final recommendations emanating from that meeting were Number 31, which calls for application of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system, and Number 33, which calls for adoption of the International Standard Bibliographic Description (ISBD). In line with this thinking, I would like to suggest the development and adoption of a standard for the bibliographic citation of international documents.

Report on the second annual BATAB users' meeting

On May 5 and 6, 1978 in Houston, Texas, more than sixty library directors, technical services administrators, acquisitions librarians and systems analysts attended the Second Annual BATAB Users' Meeting, which included panel and open discussions of issues of interest to acquisitions librarians. These issues included data entry methods, utilization of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN), interfacing BATAB with other locally automated systems and with remote cataloging databases, tips for quality control, use of BATAB in academic libraries, the BATAB statistical module, the forthcoming enhancements offered in version IV of the software, enhancements desired in future versions of BATAB and locally developed software enhancements interfacing with BATAB.

The Universal Standard Book Number (USBN): why, how and a progress report

Outlines the reasons why the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is proving to be an unreliable identifier for records in bibliographic data banks and suggests how the Universal Standard Book Number (USBN) could be used as an effective substitute. Results are given of an analysis of the 4% duplicate rate found by Beale and Lynch, together with the details of the work in progress at the University of Bradford.