10 The
use of a unique identifier to identify a publication, part of it, or source
material for it enables the referenced item to be easily disseminated, retrieved, archived and stored in a database. Identifier
assignment is in line with international standards and allows WHO publications
to be distributed both digitally and in print via the WHO digital publication
website as well as by professional distributors globally.
International Standard Book Numbers
20 An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is one of the main types of identifiers assigned to WHO publications. The ISBN enables a WHO publication to be found easily in the databases of libraries, booksellers (including online booksellers) and online collections of scientific literature. It also helps to avoid confusion with other publications that have similar titles, and indicates that the publication is part of mainstream literature. Where a publication is to be issued in several publication formats (e.g. online edition, print edition), each of these will receive a separate ISBN. The ISBNs for the different formats are all included on the copyright page of each edition. In addition, for the print format, the ISBN is included in the bar code on the back cover. Where a publication is to be issued in several languages, each language edition will be assigned a separate ISBN.
An ISBN or a digital object identifier (DOI) should be assigned to WHO publications produced jointly with other agencies (see section VIII.6.2) (see paragraph 75 on digital object identifiers).
30 To be eligible for an ISBN, a WHO publication should comply with the following criteria:
- access to its content is unrestricted;
- its content is expected to be valid for at least six months and should be easily retrievable;
- it is a discrete publication (i.e. not a book chapter or journal article).
40 At
WHO headquarters, the Office of the Publisher assigns ISBNs after the executive
clearance process (see section VIII.1.4, paragraph 85) has been completed and the related files
have been uploaded to WHO’s title management system. In regional offices, ISBNs
are assigned by the publishing office concerned either within the title
management system or from the list of ISBNs provided by WHO headquarters.
International Standard Serial Numbers
50 An
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is assigned to serial publications,
including journals, magazines and book series (such as the WHO Technical Report
Series). The ISSN remains the same for all issues of the series and is included
on the copyright page. Where a series exists in multiple publication formats
(e.g. online and print), a separate ISSN is assigned to each format. A separate
ISSN is also required for each language instance of the series, if the series
appears in more than one language.
60 paragraph deleted
Digital Object Identifiers
70 The Office of the Publisher at headquarters no longer
assigns WHO reference numbers to publications. As of 2024, all official
corporate publications that do not meet the criteria for ISBN are assigned DOI.
The assignment of DOI will eventually be expanded to all corporate publications
and may be assigned to disaggregated publications, such as book chapters and
web-based products such as training course modules. In regional offices,
implementation of DOI assignment to publications is determined by the
publishing office concerned.
75 The electronic edition of a WHO corporate publication that does not qualify for an ISBN, usually because its content may not be valid for more than 6 months, should be assigned a digital object identifier (DOI):
- a permanent identifier that is unique to a digital asset and that provides permanent links for citation, sharing and discoverability on the World Wide Web.
- Each DOI has three components: a DOI resolver (doi.org); a prefix that is assigned by Crossref, a not-for-profit membership organization that supports digital publishing; and a unique suffix.
- The DOI should be inserted into the suggested citation, which appears on the copyright page, between the year of publication and the creative commons licence. The DOI should always be hyperlinked (e.g. Suggested citation. Global report on infection prevention and control 2024: executive summary. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2024. https://doi.org/10.2471/B09195. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO).
- The DOI should also be included on the Institutional Repository for Information Sharing page (handle).
- DOIs are not assigned to print editions.
WHO reference numbers
80 paragraph deleted
90 At
WHO headquarters, WHO reference numbers may be assigned by the technical unit
concerned to products that are not publications, for example tools,
spreadsheets, brochures and standalone infographics. In regional offices, WHO
reference numbers are usually assigned by the publishing office concerned. For
unrestricted materials (see section VIII.1.2), the WHO reference number should
begin with the prefix "WHO/...", followed by 1-3 descriptors in
capital letters (assigned at the discretion of the technical unit concerned),
the year of issue and the relevant serial number (e.g. WHO/HIS/SDS/2019.2 and
WHO/2019-nCoV/PPE_specifications/2020.1). The English acronym "WHO"
is always used in reference numbers, even if the product is in another
language, to facilitate cataloguing and searching.
Cataloguing-in-Publication data
100 Cataloguing-in-Publication
(CIP) data are the metadata that libraries use to enable enquirers to find a
publication through several entry points, such as the author, title, series
title, subject headings, ISBN/ISSN and classification numbers. They are created
and presented in an internationally established format and according to international
cataloguing standards. A reference to the CIP data in IRIS should be included
within the disclaimer on the copyright page and should not be inserted
elsewhere in the publication (see section VIII.6.5).
110 At
WHO headquarters, the WHO Library (LDI) team assigns the CIP data in IRIS when
it receives the final version of a publication (see section VIII.5.1, paragraph
20). In regional offices, the CIP data are
assigned by the office of publications or the library.
