Linking ISSN (ISSN-L)

The new ISSN-based standard number, ISSN-L, has been part of the ISSN services in Finland from the beginning of 2009. The ISSN-L is defined in the new ISO standard on ISSNs (ISO 3297:2007).

The ISSN-L enables collocating or linking among different media versions, e.g. a print or online version, of a continuing resource. The ISSN-L does not change the use or assignment of "ordinary" ISSNs.

The ISSN-L helps the use of ISSNs within the Open URL resolution services.

Further information on ISSN-L on the webpages of ISSN International Centre.

Designation and use of the ISSN-L

ISSN-L numbers are assigned by the Finnish ISSN Centre. Click here for contact information for the Finnish ISSN Centre. Each ISSN is linked to an ISSN-L even when a publication has only one medium version.

A publisher can check which ISSN-L belongs to which ISSN by contacting the Finnish ISSN Centre.

The ISSN-L is based on the ISSN of the first published medium version of the publication. If the print and online versions of the publication are published at the same time, the ISSN of the print version is chosen as the basis of the ISSN-L.

For example:
Helsingin sanomat
ISSN-L 0355-2047
Helsingin sanomat, ISSN 0355-2047. Date of publication: 1904-
HS.fi, ISSN 1798-1557. Date of publication: 2008-

It is recommended that ISSN-L is printed and displayed within every publication.

For example:
Verkkari
ISSN-L 1456-2979
ISSN 1456-2979

For example:
Yksilöstä yhteisöön
ISSN-L 0787-6521
ISSN 0787-6521 (Print)
ISSN 1459-3777 (Online)

Changing ISSN-L

The ISSN-L is replaced by a new ISSN-L when both (all) the ISSNs of the media versions of publication are changed at the same time.

For example:
1) The former title of the publication:
ISSN-L 0001-6772
Acta Physiologica Scandinavica (Print), ISSN 0001-6772
Acta Physiologica Scandinavica (Online), ISSN 1365-201X
2) The title changes for all media versions in 2006:
ISSN-L 1748-1708
Acta Physiologica (Print), ISSN 1748-1708
Acta Physiologica (Online), ISSN 1748-1716

If the title changes only in one medium version, the ISSN-L remains the same for all media versions.

For example:
1) The former title of the publication:
ISSN-L 1234-567X
ABC (Print), ISSN 1234-567X
ABC (Online), ISSN 5432-1234
2) The title changes only for one medium version
ISSN-L 1234-567X
ABCDEF, ISSN 2468-1012
ABC (Online), ISSN 5432-1234

The Finnish ISSN centre determines the need to change the ISSN-L according to each case.