Regina,

Thanks so much for this information. Don't know how I missed it before!

Nancy

Regina Reynolds wrote:
> Nancy and all--
>
> There are several reasons for the situations you mention.  To begin with,
> whether a serial is current or ceased, it can be assigned an ISSN.  The
> ISSN does not have to be printed on a serial to be a valid and current
> ISSN.  Yes, JSTOR is requesting ISSN for serials it is digitizing
> retrospectively.  JSTOR is producing reproductions for the purpose of
> providing libraries with surrogates for print journals.  These kinds of
> reproductions carry the ISSN of the original, as has long been the policy
> for microform reproductions.
>
> If the journal has never been issued in an online edition, that is, a
> parallel to the print election edition issued by (or under the auspices
> of) the original publisher, it would not be assigned a separate ISSN for
> the electronic edition, since, in fact, there never was a separately
> published electronic edition.
>
> There have been various discussions about the policy for ISSN assignment
> to digital reproductions within the ISSN Network but this is the current
> policy.  Perhaps when the revised ISSN standard, including provisions for
> a "Medium-Neutral ISSN (MNI)" is approved and implemented, some of these
> issues can be resolved by use of the MNI, which will be the same for all
> manifestations of a journal
>
> Regina  R. Reynolds                     email: rrey@loc.gov
> Head, National Serials Data Program     voice: (202) 707-6379
> Library of Congress                     fax    (202) 707-6333
> 101 Independence Avenue, S.E.           ISSN Web
> page: lcweb.loc.gov/issn/
> Washington, D.C. 20540-4160
>
>
--
Nancy J. Chaffin
Metadata Librarian
Colorado State University Libraries
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1019

voice:  970.491.1847
fax:    970.491.4661
e-mail: Nancy.Chaffin@colostate.edu