Librarian Jason W. Dean Selected to Serve on International Standards Working Group

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Jason W. Dean. (Photograph by Russell Cothren.)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Assistant librarian Jason W. Dean has been selected to serve on a working group for the International Organization for Standardization.

The International Organization for Standardization was formed in Geneva in 1947 and develops and promotes worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial standards. Standardization ensures safety, sustainability, quality and improved trade relations in a globalized world. Partnerships include the United Nations and the World Trade Organization in addition to 156 national bodies and 580 organizations in liaison.

Dean’s working group will revise the cataloging standard that establishes the specifications for the International Standard Book Number, which is used to classify and identify books published around the world. The ISBN system was approved in 1970 before the creation of electronic books. As a result, print and electronic versions of the same publication – for example The Hunger Games – have different ISBN numbers, which causes some confusion.

The working group will examine the current state of the ISBN and its use for electronic books and will work with the executive director of the International ISBN Agency to create revisions to the standard to eliminate the problem. Dean will work with 25 representatives from 11 different countries. Representatives include librarians, booksellers, publishers and international information organizations.

“I am honored and excited to be a part of this this international group,” said Dean. “The ISBN itself is one of the foundations of technical services work in libraries, and to work toward improving it is a tremendous honor and responsibility.”