International Standard Name Identifier


The International Standard Name Identifier is an identifier for uniquely identifying the public identities of contributors to media content such as books, television programmes, and newspaper articles. Such an identifier consists of 16 digits. It can optionally be displayed as divided into four blocks.
ISNI can be used to disambiguate names that might otherwise be confused, and links the data about names that are collected and used in all sectors of the media industries.
It was developed under the auspices of the International Organization for Standardization as ; the valid standard was published on 15 March 2012. The ISO technical committee 46, subcommittee 9 is responsible for the development of the standard.

ISNI format

The FAQ of the isni.org websites states "An ISNI is made up of 16 digits, the last character being a check character."

Format without space

In display it is frequently shown with spaces.
The ISNI allows a single identity to be identified using a unique number. 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. Where he or she might currently be identified in many different databases using numerous private and public identification systems, under the ISNI system, he or she 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

identifiers consist of a reserved block of ISNI identifiers for scholarly researchers and administered by a separate organisation. Individual researchers can create and claim their own ORCID identifier. The two organisations coordinate their efforts.

Organisations involved in the management

ISNI Registration Authority

According to ISO the Registration Authority for ISO 27729:2012 is the "ISNI International Agency". It is located in London
It is incorporated under the Companies Act 2006 as a private company limited by guarantee.
The 'International Agency' is commonly known as the ISNI-IA.
This UK registered, not-for-profit company has been founded by a consortium of organisations consisting of the Confédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Auteurs et Compositeurs, the Conference of European National Librarians, the International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organisations, the International Performers Database Association, the Online Computer Library Center and ProQuest. It is managed by directors nominated from these organisations and, in the case of CENL, by representatives of the Bibliothèque nationale de France and the British Library.

ISNI Registration Agencies

A registration agency provides the interface between ISNI applicants and the ISNI Assignment Agency.
Name SinceRelation
Biblioteca Nacional de España Spain
BnF 2014France
Bibliothèque nationale de LuxembourgLuxembourg
British LibraryUK
BTLF France
Casalini LibriItaly
China Knowledge Centre for Engineering Sciences and Technology China
Consolidated IndependentUnited Kingdom
Electre
Identification Agency Russia
Koninklijke BibliotheekNetherlands
Kültür ve Turizm BakanliğiTurkey
National Assembly Library of KoreaSouth Korea
National Library of KoreaSouth Korea
National Library of PolandPoland
Numerical GurusUnited States
Program for Cooperative Cataloging
QuansicSwitzerland
Ringgoldorganisations, international
Rakuten KoboCanada
Sound Exchange Inc.United States
SoundwaysUnited States
YouTube2018international

ISNI members

ISNI members as of 2018-07-11:
ISNI-IA uses an assignment system comprising a user interface, data-schema, disambiguation algorithms, and database that meets the requirements of the ISO standard, while also using existing technology where possible. The system is based primarily on the Virtual International Authority File 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.

ISNI coverage

In 2018, YouTube became an ISNI registry, and announced its intention to begin creating ISNI IDs for the musicians whose videos it features. ISNI anticipates the number of ISNI IDs "going up by perhaps 3-5 million over the next couple of years" as a result.