Re: Laundry list for NGC

Well, EAN/UPCs are already the same as ISBNs on a mathematical
level—you can transform in either direction without loss.

Does anyone know the rules about EAN/UPC changes? The problem with
ISBNs is that you don't need to change the ISBN when you change the
cover. It's about the inside of the book. So you get one ISBN with 2
or more covers. How does it work with video and DVDs?

On 12/14/06, Anders Ringnér <ringner <at> yahoo.se> wrote:
> I agree with Karen. Concistency is of great importance.
> Publisher numbers are problematic in that way.
>
> I don't know how finicky OCLC are, but if they allow
> records to be upgraded with EAN/UPC, that would be the best
> solution. If not, one could, using a bar code scanner,
> easily upgrade local records with EAN/UPC.
>
> The most important point is that EAN/UPC will be exactly
> the same as the ISBN from January 1st. Then we could use
> the same identifier for (almost) all new media.
>
> --- Karen Coyle <kcoyle <at> KCOYLE.NET> skrev:
>
> > Except for the ISBN, the UPC/EAN code isn't always stored
> > in
> > bibliographic records created in the US. The numbers that
> > are stored for
> > CDs are the publisher numbers ("Philips 422 416-2") and
> > they are not
> > entered in a consistent format, unfortunately. UPC/EANs
> > do seem to be
> > showing up on newer CD records. So getting a link to CDs
> > is going to
> > take some thought. (I looked on Amazon, and CDs seem to
> > be identified
> > only by the ASIN, which Amazon assigns when there isn't
> > another reliable
> > identifier.)
> >
> > I imagine that DVDs will be equally difficult.
> >
> > kc
> >
> > Lynn Reynish wrote:
> > > Hmmmm.... UPC/EAN-code may indeed be an alternative. It
> > would certainly
> > > be no worse than an ISBN.
> > >
> > > Lynn
> > >
> > > Anders Ringnér wrote:
> > >> From: "Lynn Reynish" <lreynish <at> RPL.REGINA.SK.CA>
> > >>> This does sound like a great project. However, I will
> > note that ISBN is
> > >>> probably not enough if you want to include CDs and
> > DVDs - most of which
> > >>> don't have ISBNs. Amazon uses an ASIN for these items
> > but I'm not
> > >>> sure if
> > >>> there are any widespread standard numbers in use for
> > CDs or DVDs
> > >>> outside
> > >>> of mainstream Western classical/pop/rock music (which
> > often has a music
> > >>> number). ISBNs have their own problems of course -
> > but at least they
> > >>> exist
> > >>> for a lot of items.
> > >>
> > >> Would using the UPC/EAN-code be an alternative? If we
> > then converted all
> > >> ISBN-10 to ISBN-13, which in fact is identical to the
> > EAN, we'd end up
> > >> with
> > >> the same style of numbers for all objects, regardless
> > of format (book,
> > >> CD,
> > >> DVD and so on). All pictures would be stored by their
> > EAN-code.
> > >>
> > >> /Anders
> > >
> > > --
> > > Lynn Reynish
> > > ILS Librarian
> > > Regina Public Library
> > > lreynish <at> reginalibrary.ca
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --
> > -----------------------------------
> > Karen Coyle / Digital Library Consultant
> > kcoyle <at> kcoyle.net http://www.kcoyle.net
> > ph.: 510-540-7596
> > fx.: 510-848-3913
> > mo.: 510-435-8234
> > ------------------------------------
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
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