RFC 3187 (rfc3187) - Page 1 of 11

Using International Standard Book Numbers as Uniform Resource Names

Network Working Group                                          J. Hakala
Request for Comments: 3187                   Helsinki University Library
Category: Informational                                     H. Walravens
                                           The International ISBN Agency
                                                            October 2001


              Using International Standard Book Numbers as
                         Uniform Resource Names

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (2001).  All Rights Reserved.

Abstract

   This document discusses how International Standard Book Numbers
   (ISBN) can be supported within the URN (Uniform Resource Names)
   framework and the syntax for URNs defined in RFC 2141.  Much of the
   discussion below is based on the ideas expressed in RFC 2288.

1. Introduction

   As part of the validation process for the development of URNs, the
   IETF URN working group agreed that it is important to demonstrate
   that the current URN syntax proposal can accommodate existing
   identifiers from well established namespaces.  One such
   infrastructure for assigning and managing names comes from the
   bibliographic community.  Bibliographic identifiers function as names
   for objects that exist both in print and, increasingly, in electronic
   formats.  RFC 2288 [Lynch, et al.] investigated the feasibility of
   using three identifiers (ISBN, ISSN and SICI) as URNs.  This document
   will analyse the usage of ISBNs as URNs in more detail than RFC 2288.

   A registration request for acquiring Namespace Identifier (NID)
   "ISBN" for ISBNs is included in chapter 5.









Hakala & Walravens           Informational