RFC 3187 (rfc3187) - Page 1 of 11
Using International Standard Book Numbers as Uniform Resource Names
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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