International Standard Text Code Agency Announces New Registration Agency Appointments
Bowker and Nielsen Officially Established as ISTC Registration Agencies
LONDON--(Marketwire - January 5, 2009) - The International ISTC Agency, the official
Registration Authority for the International Standard Text Code (ISTC), is
pleased to announce its appointment of Bowker and Nielsen Book as ISTC
registration agencies that are now authorized to assign ISTCs on behalf of
publishers, authors and content owners.
An approved ISO standard (ISO 21047), the ISTC provides a means of uniquely
and persistently identifying textual works in information systems, and
facilitates the exchange of information about such works between
publishers, authors and authors associations, collective management
organizations, libraries, search engines and others on an international
level. More information regarding the ISTC standard is available at
www.ISTC-International.org, the new official web site of the International
ISTC Agency.
"We are very enthusiastic about bringing to market this very important
industry standard," says Andy Weissberg, Vice President of Identifier
Services and Corporate Marketing at Bowker. "For publishers, authors and
rights-holders, the ISTC will optimize and streamline consumer discovery of
various book product and format options, providing an industry-standardized
framework for linking and co-locating print and digital manifestations of
original textual works in retail, search engine and library catalogues,"
added Weissberg.
Authors, rights-holders and others interested in ISTC are encouraged to
participate in pilot programs offered by both Bowker and Nielsen that will
provide free registration of ISTCs on a semi-limited basis through May
2009. Within these programs, participants are encouraged to exchange
required meta-data about their works and groupings of works that are
intended for ISTC assignment, for which selected portions shall be
validated for ISTC assignments for free during the pilot program period.
The International ISTC Agency encourages entities that wish to apply to
become an ISTC Registration Agency to contact the International ISTC Agency
to participate in the expression of interest process: James Boyd,
Communication and Product Development, IFRRO at +32 2 551 08 97 or
james.boyd@ifrro.org, or Eric Baptiste, Director General, CISAC at
cis@cisac.org.
About The International ISTC Agency
Officially founded in 2008, The International ISTC Agency is responsible
for the promotion, coordination and supervision of the International
Standard Text Code (ISTC) standard and system. Bowker, Nielsen, CISAC
(International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers) and
IFFRO (The International Federation of Reproduction Rights Organizations)
are founding members of the International ISTC Agency.
To participate in ISTC pilot programs, or to learn more about the ISTC
standard, in the UK, contact Julian Sowa, Chairman, at +44 (0) 1483 712330
or Julian.Sowa@nielsen.com. US-based inquires should be directed to Andy
Weissberg at 908.219.0206 or andy.weissberg@bowker.com. General
information about the ISTC can be accessed at www.ISTC-International.org.