TheInternational Standard Name Identifier (ISNI) is anidentifier system for uniquely identifying the public identities of contributors tomedia content such asbooks,television programmes, andnewspaper articles. Such an identifier consists of 16 digits. It can optionally be displayed as divided into four blocks.
ISNI can be used to disambiguate named entities that might otherwise be confused, and links thedata about names that are collected and used in all sectors of the media industries.
The FAQ of the isni.org websites states "An ISNI is made up of 16 digits, the last character being a check character."[1] ISNI consists of 15 digits followed by a check character. The check character may be either a decimal digit or the character "X". The check character is calculated using the preceding 15 decimal digits using theISO/IEC 7064, MOD11-2 algorithm.[2]
The ISNI allows a single identity (such as an author'spseudonym or theimprint used by apublisher) to be identified using a unique number.[6] This unique number can then be linked to any of the numerous other identifiers that are used across the media industries to identify names and other forms of identity.
An example of the use of such a number is the identification of a musical performer who is also a writer both of music and of poems. While they might be identified in various databases using numerous private and public identification systems, under the ISNI system, they would have a single linking ISNI record. The many different databases could then exchange data about that particular identity without resorting to messy methods such as comparing text strings. An often quoted example in the English language world is the difficulty faced when identifying 'John Smith' in a database. While there may be many records for 'John Smith', it is not always clear which record refers to the specific 'John Smith' that is required.
If an author has published under several different names or pseudonyms, each such name will receive its own ISNI.
ISNI can be used by libraries and archives when sharing catalogue information; for more precise searching for information online and in databases, and it can aid the management of rights across national borders and in the digital environment.
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) identifiers consist of a reserved block of ISNI identifiers for scholarly researchers[7] and administered by a separate organisation.[7] Individual researchers can create and claim their own ORCID identifier.[8] The two organisations coordinate their efforts[7][8] through projects such as "ODIN" (ORCID and DataCite Interoperability Network).[9]
In 2018,YouTube became an ISNI registry, and announced its intention to begin creating ISNI IDs for the musicians whose videos it features.[20] ISNI anticipates the number of ISNI IDs "going up by perhaps 3-5 million over the next couple of years" as a result.[21]
In 2020,Sound Credit, together with ISNI, announced that music industry ISNI registrations were free and automated. The free registration system is part ofSound Credit user profile creation, used by its larger system for music crediting. It includes an automated search to avoid duplicate ISNIs and a certificate generated by the Sound Credit registration system to officiate newly registered ISNIs.[22]
In 2024, WIPO became an ISNI Registration Agency, enabling its network of Collective Management Organizations around the world to assign ISNI IDs to creators. Through this integration, WIPO aims to facilitate the assignment of unique identifiers to a broad range of creators, including musicians, writers, and other artistic professionals. This move was set to enhance the discoverability and attribution of creative works on a global scale.[23][24][25]
ISNI-IA uses an assignment system comprising a user interface,data-schema,disambiguationalgorithms, and database that meets the requirements of the ISO standard, while also using existing technology where possible. The system is based primarily on theVirtual International Authority File (VIAF) service, which has been developed by OCLC for use in the aggregation of library catalogues.
Access to the assignment system and database, and to the numbers that are generated as the output of the process, are controlled by independent bodies known as 'registration agencies'. These registration agencies deal directly with customers, ensuring that data is provided in appropriate formats and recompensing the ISNI-IA for the cost of maintaining the assignment system. Registration agencies are appointed by ISNI-IA but will be managed and funded independently.
The following table lists ISNI coverage counts, for millions of identities of all types, millions of people, millions of researchers (also included in people), and organisations.[28]
Karen Smith-Yoshimura, Janifer Gatenby, Grace Agnew, Christopher Brown, Kate Byrne, Matt Carruthers, Peter Fletcher, Stephen Hearn, Xiaoli Li, Marina Muilwijk, Chew Chiat Naun, John Riemer, Roderick Sadler, Jing Wang, Glen Wiley, and Kayla Willey. 2016. "Addressing the Challenges with Organizational Identifiers and ISNI." Dublin, Ohio: OCLC Research.
