---
title: "ISSN | Printing glossary | IN TEMPO"
description: "The eight-digit number that identifies a serial publication: journal, newsletter, yearbook, numbered series. In France it is assigned free of charge by the ISSN centre at the Bibliothèque nationale de France."
url: "https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/issn/"
lang: "en"
---

[Back to the glossary](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/)

# ISSN

Also called International Standard Serial Number

The eight-digit number that identifies a serial publication: journal, newsletter, yearbook, numbered series. In France it is assigned free of charge by the ISSN centre at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.

## In practice

It is the number of a society’s journal or newsletter: it stays the same from issue to issue, unlike an ISBN. A book in a numbered series can carry both, the series’ ISSN and its own ISBN. Request it before the first issue and print it in the same place every time.

## Related terms

- [ISBN](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/isbn/)
- [Legal deposit](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/depot-legal/)
- [AFNIL](https://www.intempo.fr/en/glossaire/afnil/)

## Free tool

[ISSN barcode generator](https://www.intempo.fr/en/outils/code-barres-issn/)

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