Increase Sales & Profits With Better ONIX Metadata

Increase Sales & Lower Costs
With Better Metadata

A Step-By-Step ONIX Guide for Publishers
Last Updated:
June 2010
Prepared by:
BookNet Canada Staff
Canadian Bookshelf Staff
Increase Sales & Lower Costs With Better Metadata
1. Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2.1 Metadata is Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.2 Start With ONIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
2.3 3.5 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Your Metadata . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3.1 Step 1 - Own Your Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3.2 Step 2 - Keep Up to Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3.3 Step 3 - Use Information You Already Have to Sell More Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.3.4 Step 3.5 - Validate Your Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 Tools for ONIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3. Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Information About ONIX Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
4.1 Product Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4.2 Product Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.3 Series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.4 Sets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.5 Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4.6 Contributor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.7 Edition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.8 Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.9 Extent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.10 Illustrations and Other Content . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.11 Subject . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.12 Audience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4.13 Other Text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.14 Links to Image Audio Video Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.15 Prizes and Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.16 Content Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.17 Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
4.18 Publishing Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
4.19 Territorial Rights and Other Sales Restrictions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.20 Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
4.21 Related Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
4.22 Supplier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
4.23 Marketing and Promotions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5. Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
1
Preface
ONIX (Online Information Exchange) is the standard in the publishing industry for computer-to-computer communication
about bibliographic data. Basically, it allows you to represent information about your books in a neutral way: without any
form attached to the content. In that way, ONIX gives publishers the ability to share infinitely more information about
their books with infinitely more people, but often this opportunity is not taken advantage of. Reasons for this are many,
but, in general, publishers have been unsure why they need to put extra information into an ONIX file.
So what does this opportunity look like? Information from the same ONIX file can be used in a publisher’s website,
online bookstores, library catalogues and systems, electronic catalogues like BNC CataList, and search and discovery
platforms like the Canadian Bookshelf, a project of the Association of Canadian Publishers in collaboration with the
Canadian Publishers Council.
The catch, though, is that the information needs to be in the ONIX files to be shared, and currently most publishers are
not including enough information in the files they're creating. Your ONIX files should be your single source of accurate
information that you send out to many places. That way, when you need to make a change, you only need to input that
change once, and only in one place. This drastically reduces the risk of error and lowers your chances of having
inaccurate information out in the market, while saving you time and money in the process.
This document will show you ways that you can improve your ONIX files by including marketing information that is often
left out. Recommendations found within are made by following Canadian Bibliographic Certification Standards and ONIX
Best Practices.
Hopefully this document will help you develop a greater understanding of how to turn an ONIX file into a catalogue or
web page, like this:
BookNet Canada with the Canadian Bookshelf 2

Introduction
Metadata is Marketing
“What happens when there are fewer stores, fewer shelves, and greater competition for the shelf space
that is left? You have to explore other methods of discoverability.”
— Cecilia Tan, Circlet Press
Consumers are now more likely than ever to discover books online — where the quality and depth of information that
you provide about your books is paramount — and booksellers increasingly rely on web-based ordering and sales
tracking tools. As a result, the marketing departments in all publishing houses today need good quality, descriptive title
data to ensure that their books make it into the hands of booksellers, librarians and readers.
“Book buyers are now 30% more likely to discover your book online than [via] traditional offline
promotions.”
— 2009 Bowker PubTrack Consumer Report
Good, complete information that's up-to-date will make your books discoverable. Simply put, if people can't find your
books, they can't buy them. Rich information makes your books more visible, both to search engines and to readers, and
every piece of information you can provide about one of your books is a chance to convert initial discovery and interest
into a sale. All of the information that describes a book, from the title to the author photo to the fact that it won a literary
award, is known as metadata. And good metadata is now the foundation of book marketing.
“Anyone who doubts that most readers are searching for their next good book online is not paying
attention… online discovery has become the new book review...”
— Laura Dawson
Why are we talking about this now? Partly because of the rapid change of sales channels — the online marketplace in
particular — but also because there are an increasing number of ways in which you can make your metadata works to
market your books for you throughout the supply chain and directly to consumers. Aside from the trading partners you
send data to and the existing online retail platforms, there are a number of new marketing opportunities on the horizon
that will make your data more visible, more widely used, and more valuable than ever before. There are new platforms
and tools emerging to help publishers sell books to consumers, librarians, booksellers, and others, including BookNet
Canada’s BiblioShare aggregated data feed, related efforts from Canadian library wholesalers, the ACP/CPC’s
Canadian Bookshelf discovery platform, and BookNet Canada’s CataList eCatalogue.
“The Internet trifecta of search, browse, buy is the end game.”
— Evan Schnittman, Oxford University Press
All of these rely on high-quality metadata. Publishers who send accurate, rich and complete book data will be able to
make the most of these opportunities to reduce costs and increase sales. Publishers who send inaccurate or incomplete
data make their titles invisible to buyers in a crowded marketplace. Now more than ever, data is a publisher's most
valuable resource and the most efficient way to launch and extend your marketing effort.
Start With ONIX

ONIX is the book trade’s standard for metadata. It is XML-based and this means that you can use an ONIX file as the
information source for your catalogue, you can use it to populate the title listings on your website, you can insert it into
the source code on your web pages for search engine optimization, you can send it as a data feed to retailers as well as
any direct recipients of your title information throughout the supply chain.
Tip: Think of your ONIX file as buckets of information, and those buckets can move around and get
placed wherever you need them to be.

This allows you to have a single, authoritative source for all of your title information and to manage and exchange your
metadata efficiently throughout the supply chain. This efficiency will help you reduce costs: instead of replicating
information multiple times, you only to put the time in once and then send it out to multiple places. A properly maintained
and validated ONIX file will also allow you to be confident in the quality of data you send out, and to reduce the costs
and staff demands of chasing bad data throughout the supply chain.
3.5 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Your Metadata

Publishers can sell more books when they have better data. For a book to be successful, it needs to be displayed
accurately — to be visible — and to be easy to find — to be searchable. A complete data file is what increases your
titles’ visibility and searchability. Improving data files will help you reach your target audience more easily — and it helps
the customer find you too. Start by taking a look at some of your top-selling titles. Consider all the information a
customer can get just by holding one of your books in her hands. Now, find a way to communicate the same information
to that customer online. The title, subtitle, author name, format and price are already in your data file and available
online. The cover image and jacket description are there, too. But what about that author photo on the inside flap? And
the author’s biography? These data points can, and should, be added to your title file.
Don’t overlook anything in your metadata. There might be a single sentence on the back of your book that reads, 'A
Canada Reads selection, 2010.' You printed that information (or something like it) on the dust jacket for good reason, so
don't exclude it from your metadata. Think of metadata as marketing data, and when it comes to marketing data:
maximize the data you already have by making sure it’s available everywhere your books are sold.
Step 1 - Own Your Data

When it comes to book data, cleaning up bad information can be a thankless and tedious task. But industry insiders with
real battle scars will tell you that once your title data goes out into the world, tracking down and correcting errors is a far
more daunting task. At least, it is for publishers who don't control their own data. The key to maximizing your book data
is taking control of the creation, management and distribution of your title information. To send a good quality data file,
you'll need a database where everything has a place and everything is in its place. No one knows your books better —
or cares about them more — than you do, and no distributor, agent or wholesaler will be as invested in getting it right.
If you don’t have one already, your first step is to establish a database for your title information. Take the time to list your
titles fully and correctly. The database should act as a central repository for your title data, and as the authoritative
source for your company. Once you have a database in place, the information within it can be used to create ONIX files.
There are a number of tools and services available to publishers, ranging from free to inexpensive to fully commercial
enterprise-level systems, which can help you manage your data and create ONIX files. We have provided a sampling of
these systems below to help you get started. There is no one-size-fits-all tool but each of these would be worth a closer
look. And needless to say, BookNet Canada is a great source of information on the ONIX standard and related tools
(see Tools for ONIX for more information).
Step 2 - Keep Up to Date

The second step in maximizing your book data is a no-brainer: keep it up to date. Your data changes over time, and so
do the requirements of your trading partners across the supply chain. Once you have control of your data, it's important
to maintain your title information on a consistent basis. That means maintaining accurate title information and adapting
to changing standards:
Accurate Title Information

Your books have a lifecycle and the information about them will evolve. So, anytime a change is made to the information
about your book, it needs to be made in the ONIX file so that file is as accurate as possible. Otherwise, the information
in catalogues, ecommerce websites, and other websites will not be accurate — and that can affect your sales.
This also holds true for errors in your data. Mistakes happen and regular ONIX feeds allow you the flexibility to change
the information in the supply chain. In short: The supply chain wants to help you sell your products. Keeping the details
up-to-date helps everyone do it.
What kind of changes are we talking about? Anything you would want changed in a public-facing view.

Some common examples include: price, title, author name, availability, cover image, publisher, and
distributor.
Changing Standards
Standards change and develop, and you need to make sure you're up-to-date so that your files match the needs of the
people you're sending them to.
One way to make sure your files match changing expectations is through certification. There are two programs to help:
Annual Data Certification
BookNet Canada reviews your files for problems and grants it Gold, Silver, or Bronze certification based on a list of
expected data points. BookNet Canada will continue to certify bibliographic data from Canadian publishers. However,
the focus for certification is now on data quality and making the most of ONIX, rather than on the presence or absence
of particular data points. Publishers will only be certified through participation in BookNet Canada’s BiblioShare program.
BNC BiblioShare Detailed Reports
In addition to certification, BookNet Canada's BiblioShare provides regular, automated reports that identify problems in
your ONIX file such as missing or invalid information. Additionally, the program helps keep you up to date by making
recommendations for following best practices. Think of these reports as a window to the Canadian Bibliographic
Standard: as the market changes and develops, BNC adds the information so the feedback you get is always current.
Tip: Think of BNC BiblioShare reports as advice. Every error and warning is there for a reason, but in the
end they are just recommendations and it is up to you to make changes based on what is best for your
business.
Step 3 - Use Information You Already Have to Sell More Books

The best way to drive sales and reach the widest possible audience for your books is to include enhanced marketing
data in your ONIX file. This means going beyond the BNC Gold Standard to include the same kind of information you
would include in your catalogue or on a detailed web listing on Amazon or Indigo or on your own website.
As a starting point, consumer-facing sites, such as Canadian Bookshelf, and all major retailers can improve the
discoverability of your titles when you include these data elements in your ONIX file:
A complete contributor (or author) profile including:
Contributor biography
Contributor photo
Contributor country code (**this indicates nationality and is the key element used to identify books by
Canadian author**)
Region codes (which help to market books locally when the subject matter or author is associated with a
particular region or province)
Link to author's website
Rich descriptive text including:
Jacket copy / descriptions

Excerpts
Tables of Contents
Reviews or review excerpts
Other supporting information, such as:
Prize or award nominations

Prize or award winners
Media mentions — such as appearance on a bestseller list
All of this is information that you already have, in your files or in your catalogue or on your own website, and it should be
in your ONIX feed. By including it in your ONIX feed you circulate it throughout the supply chain and the ever-expanding

set of sales and marketing platforms for your books — where it can draw greater attention from search engines and
readers alike and where it can work for you 24/7.
Step 3.5 - Validate Your Files

This step sounds scary, but it’s not. A simple validation process can tell you if your ONIX file works. Every company that
uses your file will attempt to validate it upon receipt. If it doesn’t validate, it will most likely be sent directly back to you. In
the worst case, the recipient will reject the file without telling you your data hasn’t been loaded; you will never know that
your book is not available through that channel. The solution is to validate your files first to avoid fixing errors later, and
to make your titles visible right away.
“An XML file is simply text — nothing very special — except that in order for XML software to read and
interpret it, everything needs to be just so."
— Tom Richardson, BookNet Canada
You don’t need to be a programmer, and you don’t need to have a deep understanding of XML, to validate an ONIX file.
All you need is an XML editor or development suite — such as XML Notepad or oXygen XML Editor — and a copy of
your file. If you don’t have XML software already, trial versions are readily available for free.
An ONIX file is made up of XML. XML is a mark-up language with its own standard format, and ONIX is simply a format
or file layout created for the book industry. So to validate your ONIX file, you need to check that it meets both the XML
standard and the ONIX format. Please see BookNet Canada’s information about ONIX Schema Validation as well as the
Additional Resources section of this document.
Tools for ONIX

There are a number of tools and services available to publishers, ranging from free to inexpensive to fully commercial
enterprise-level systems, which can help you manage your data and create ONIX files. We have provided a sampling of
these systems below to help you get started. There is no one-size-fits-all tool but each of these would be worth a closer
look. Better yet, check with your colleagues for advice. And of course BookNet Canada is also a great source of
information on the ONIX standard and related tools.
BooksONIX
A UK-based provider of web-based metadata management services.
http://www.booksonix.info
Firebrand Technologies
Firebrand is a service provider with well-established offerings in title management and data distribution. You may know
them by their Eloquence data distribution service.
http://www.firebrandtech.com
NetRead
NetRead’s JacketCaster service converts title information to ONIX and distributes the resulting data feed throughout the
supply chain.
http://www.netread.com
OnixEdit
A downloadable application developed by Montreal-based GPG. OnixEdit is the successor to the previous EXA Editor
built by the same firm. Comes in a free version for limited use and an affordable paid version.

http://www.onixedit.com
PExOD
A web-based application developed out of Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. Very affordable and used by various
presses across the country to share metadata and publish their websites.
http://www.pexod.com

Additional Resources
Keep these three references close at hand when working with ONIX. You can also find a detailed illustrative guide to key
ONIX elements in the Information About ONIX Elements section.
BookNet Canada’s ONIX Information

A resource page that provides an overview of what ONIX is and how it works as well as links to further details on the
Canadian Bibliographic Standard and BNC’s ONIX Guidebook — a very helpful and easy-to-follow desktop reference.
BNC ONIX Guidebook [pdf]
Canadian Bibliographic Standard [pdf]
Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Product Metadata Best Practices for Senders
A detailed element-by-element guide to the proper use of each ONIX element.
The ONIX Code Lists

Official ONIX code lists from EDItEUR, the international group responsible for the ONIX standard. You can use these
code lists in conjunction with the BNC and BISG references to ensure that your books are properly represented in your
outgoing ONIX file.
The BookNet Canada, BISG, and EDItEUR websites contain additional, extensive background on the use of the ONIX
standard.

Information About ONIX Elements

Each section of this document will explain why each ONIX element is important to eCatalogues, emphasizing sections
that are currently under-utilized.
Then, we will provide an example from a sample catalogue page, with call outs showing what the element would look
like in an ONIX file.
ONIX details will be provided after the example and will reference the ONIX manual (ex. PR.2.7 Product Identifier Type
Code is labeled the same way in the manual).
Product Identifiers
A unique product identifier is the foundation for buying, selling, re-ordering, and tracking your books. Naturally, that’s
where you’ll start with eCatalogues and build from there.
Example
ONIX Details
Product Identifier Composite
Reference name: <ProductIdentifier>
Short tag: <productidentifier>
PR.2.7 Product Identifier Type Code
The Product Identifier Type Code tells the eCatalogue which type of identifier you’re going to be listing in the Identifier
Value.
Format: Fixed-length, 2 numeric digits
Code List: List 5
Reference name: <ProductIDType>
Short tag: <b221>
Example: 15 (ISBN 13)
PR.2.9 Identifier Value
The Identifier Value is the number that will be displayed
Format: According to the identifier type specified in <ProductIDType>
Reference name: <IDValue>

Short tag: <b244>
Example: 9780978359867
Product Form
Is the product a hardcover, trade paperback, mass market, audio, ebook, or something else? Retailers need to know
before they order it, and the Product Form is how this information is communicated through ONIX.
Areas of Interest
Recycled content information goes in the Product Form Feature Composite
Example
ONIX Details
PR.3.1 Product Form Code
Product Form Code indicates what the main form of the product is. For items that are made up of more than one
element, describe the overall product with Product Form Code, and then specify the parts with either PR.3.9 Number of
Pieces or PR.3.12 Contained Item.
Format: Fixed-length, two letters
Code list: List 7
Reference name: <ProductForm>
Short tag: <b012>
Example: Code BH will display as Board Book in a catalogue
PR.3.2 Product Form Detail
Useful when detail in addition to the Product Form Code is needed to describe a book. This element is repeatable.
Format: Fixed-length, four characters: one letter followed by three numeric digits
Code list: List 78
Reference name: <ProductFormDetail>
Short tag: <b333>
Example: Code B221 will display as Picture Book in a catalogue
Product Form Feature Composite

Recycled content? That goes here. This composite is made up of up to two out of three potential elements, and is
repeatable:
PR.3.3 Product Form Feature Type
This code represents the feature that is being described.

Format: Fixed-length, two numeric digits
Code: List 79
Reference name; <ProductFormFeatureType>
Short tag: <b334>
Example: Code 33 (FSC certified, recycled)

Not all of the codes in Product Form Feature Type require additional description, but some do. Of those, some require a
code and others need free text (see the ONIX for Books for more information).
PR.3.4 Product Form Feature Value

PR.3.5 Product Form Feature Description
Multiple Items
Sometimes a product will be made up of multiple parts (ex. an audio book that comes in 8 cassettes) and this
information is important for the retailer to know before ordering. If all the pieces that make up the product are the same
format, then use PR.3.9 Number of Pieces. If, on the other hand, they are different formats, then you should use the
Contained Item composite.
PR.3.9 Number of Pieces
For items of the same form (ex. all hardcover), otherwise use Contained Item
Format: Variable-length integer, suggested maximum length 4 digits
Reference name: <NumberOfPieces>
Short tag: <b210> Example: 3
Contained Item Composite

For items of different forms (ex. 1 hardcover and 1 audio CD)
Reference name: <ContainedItem>
Short tag: <containeditem>
Within the Contained Item Composite, include PR.3.17 Contained item product form code to show what format each
piece is in, and PR.3.25 Contained item number of pieces if some of the contained items are the same format.
PR.3.17 Contained item product form code

Code list: List 7
Reference name: <ProductForm>
Short tag: <b012>
Example: BH Board book
PR.3.25 Contained item number of pieces
Used when there are multiples of one form in the contained items
Reference name: <NumberOfPieces>
Short tag: <b210>
Example: 3
Series
Books that are a part of a series are attractive to book buyers since the series name can be instantly recognizable to the
consumer. In eCatalogues, it’s also possible to link directly to the other products in the series, so using these ONIX
indicators becomes even more important.
Example

ONIX Details
Series Composite
Reference name: <Series>
Short tag: <series>
PR.5.6 Series title
Format: Variable-length text, suggested maximum length 300 characters

Reference name: <TitleOfSeries>
Short tag: <b018>
Example: The Canadian Book Market
PR.5.7 Number within series

Reference name: <NumberWithinSeries>
Short tag: <b019>
Example: 4
Sets
Sets are a finite number of products that are grouped together, and most often sold as the group. Indicating that an
individual title is part of a set lets the buyer know they she has the option to purchase it alone or to purchase the set as a
whole. Providing set information also gives the option of pulling in information about the other titles in the set since they
might be of interest to the buyer.
ONIX Details
Set Composite
Reference name: <Set>
Short tag: <set>
PR.6.6 Set title
Format Variable-length text, suggested maximum length 300 characters

Reference name: <TitleOfSet>
Short tag: <b023>
Example: The Canadian Book Market 2007-2009
PR.6.9 Item number within set

Reference name: <ItemNumberWithinSet>
Short tag: <b026>
Example: Volume 1

Title
Your editorial and marketing team spent hours (at least) coming up with the perfect title for this book, so you want to
make sure it ends up being displayed correctly. So, how do you do that? First, you should be including Subtitle as its
own element, separate from the Title. Second, the Title element should be indexable, meaning that if it had a prefix it
should be split (see below for more information).
Example
ONIX Details
Title Composite
Reference name: <Title>
Short tag: <title>
PR.7.8 Title Text Code
Indicates the type of title being described

Code list: List 15
Reference name: <TitleType>
Short tag: <b202>
Example: 01 (distinctive title)
PR.7.11 Title Text
For titles that do not have a title prefix

Format: Variable-length text, suggested maximum 300 characters
Reference name: <TitleText>
Short tag: <b203>
PR.7.14 Subtitle
Indicates a subtitle within the Title composite

Format: Variable-length text, suggested maximum 300 characters
Reference name: <Subtitle>
Short tag: <b029>
Titles with Prefixes
PR.7.12 Title prefix
The prefix is the text at the beginning of a title that will be ignored for alphabetical sorting. It will be added for display
purposes, though. Must be used with PR.7.13 Title Text Without Prefix.
Reference name: <TitlePrefix>
Short tag: <b030>
Example: The
PR.7.13 Title text without prefix

Title without the title prefix. Must be used with PR.7.12 Title Prefix.
Reference name: <TitleWithoutPrefix>
Short tag: <b031>
Example: Canadian Book Market
Contributor
Everyone in the Supply Chain expects to list a contributor so not supplying one should be an exceptional exception.
We'll deal with exceptions at the end, but the most basic choice is simply listing a Person or a Corporate Name.
The Contributor Composite repeats, so you should use one composite per contributor and attach all associated
information within that composite. Make sure you point out Canadian Contributors by using the Country Code CA so that
eCatalogues and other marketing initiatives can highlight Canadians.
Areas of Interest
Providing biographical information for contributors
Linking to contributor websites
Indicating Canadian Contributors
Example
ONIX Details
Contributor Composite
Each product record must contain a Contributor Composite with Person Name or Corporate Contributor Name,
depending on what is appropriate, and you can include multiples of either or both. If you would like the contributor to
display as Anonymous, you need to use the No Contributor indicator. If there isn't a clear Contributor (ex. in the case of
a calendar), BookNet would recommend that the Publisher be listed under Corporate Name.
Reference name: <Contributor>

Short tag: <contributor>
PR.8.1 Contributor Sequence Number
When the product has multiple contributors, PR.8.1 Contributor Sequence Number lets you indicate the order of
significance.
Reference name: <SequenceNumber>
Short tag: <b034>
Example: 1
PR.8.2 Contributor Role
Indicates the role that the contributor had in the creation of the product. Must be used for every named contributor.
Format: Fixed-length, one letter and two numeric digits
Code List: List 17

Reference name: <ContributorRole>

Short tag: <b035>
Example: A01 (author)
Display Name
The Contributor Statement is a way to indicate how you want a name displayed in an eCatalogue. If this element is left
blank, a name can be cobbled together, but this element gives you control.
PR.8.35 Contributor statement

Reference name: <ContributorStatement>
Short tag: <b049>
Person Name
If you list a Person, you provide as much information as possible parsed as finely as possible. A person’s name can be
listed in a variety of ways in ONIX 2.1, but to align with ONIX Best Practices and to ensure that the name displays
properly, use PR.8.10 Key Name(s) and PR.8.8 Names Before Key Name or PR.8.11 Names After Key Name. This will
help with search and discovery of your authors.
PR.8.10 Key Name(s)
The Key Name is required for every person named as a contributor. It represents the name that will be listed in an
alphabetical list. In Western cultures, this is generally the surname.
Reference name: <KeyNames>
Short tag: <b040>
Example: MacDonald
PR.8.8 Names Before Key Name
Names Before Key Name represents a person’s given name. In most Western cultures, this name is found before the
Key Name, otherwise use Names After Key Name.
Reference name: <NamesBeforeKey>
Short tag: <b039>
Example: Meghan
PR.8.11 Names After Key Names
Names After Key Name represents a person’s given name in the case when it should be displayed after the Key Name.
Reference name: <NamesAfterKey>
Short tag: <b041>
Example: Meghan
Extras
Additionally, there are a number of ONIX elements that can be used to represent extra name information. Please see
ONIX for Books for more information about the elements listed below:
PR.8.7 Titles Before Names

PR.8.9 Prefix to Key Name
PR.8.12 Suffix After Key Names
PR.8.13 Qualifications and Honors After Names
PR.8.14 Titles After Names
Corporate Contributor
If the contributor is a corporation, the Corporate Contributor Name element is used and the name will be displayed

exactly as entered. A collection of individuals known by a name also qualifies as a corporation.
PR.8.26 Corporate Contributor Name

Reference name: <CorporateName>
Short tag: <b047>
Example: BookNet Canada
Biographical Note
You can add a biographical note for a specific contributor here. Make sure to include the name of the contributor in the
text and keep websites separate by using the Website composite (see Contributor Website below).
PR.8.27 Biographical note

Reference name: <BiographicalNote>
Short tag: <b044>
Contributor Website
The Website Composite can be used in the Contributor Composite to point to a website that is related to the person or
corporation.
Reference name <Website>

Short tag <website>
PR.8.30 Link to website

Reference name: <WebsiteLink>
Short tag: <b295>
Example: http://www.booknetcanada.ca
Canadian Contributors
Having a Canadian author can be a huge selling feature, so you need to make sure it is identified in the Contributor
Composite.
BookNet Canada has detailed information on our website explaining how to define a Canadian Contributor and how this
data can be used. Canadian Authorship
[http://www.booknetcanada.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=145&Itemid=409]
PR.8.33 Country code
Identifies a country that a contributor associates with.

Format: Fixed-length, two letters, upper case only
Code list: List 91
Reference name: <CountryCode>
Short tag: <b251>
Example: CA
PR.8.34 Region code
Identifies a region that isn’t a country that a contributor associates with.

Format: Variable-length code
Code list: List 49
Reference name: <RegionCode>
Short tag: <b398>
Examples: CA-BC British Columbia

Edition
Understanding that a title is a specific edition and how it is differentiated from previous editions is important for many
titles. Educational titles are an easy example, but edition information can apply to special editions for trade titles as well.
If there is no edition number, you should include PR.10.5 No Edition indicator.
Example
ONIX Details
PR.10.2 Edition number
Indicates which version this particular product represents.

Reference name: <EditionNumber>
Short tag: <b057>
Example: 3
PR.10.1 Edition type code
This code provides more information about what type of edition this product is.
Format: Fixed-length, three upper-case letters
Code list: List 21
Reference name: <EditionTypeCode>
Short tag: <b056>
Example: ILL (Illustrated)
PR.10.4 Edition statement
If necessary, you can also add a short free-text description as an Edition Statement.
Reference name: <EditionStatement>
Short tag: <b058>
Example: 3rd edition, revised with an introduction and notes
Language
ONIX lets you easily call out the language of a title so that no assumptions are made.
ONIX Details
Language Composite
Reference name: <Language>
Short tag: <language>
PR.11.3 Language role


Code list: List 22
Reference name: <LanguageRole>
Short tag: <b253>
Example: 01 (language of text)
PR.11.4 Language code
Format: Fixed-length, three lower-case letters.

Code list: List 74
Reference name: <LanguageCode>
Short tag: <b252>
Example: eng
Extent
The length of a book impacts purchasing decisions for both the bookseller and the consumer, so make sure it’s accurate
in the ONIX file and thus in the eCatalogue page.
ONIX Details
Paper Books
PR.12.1 Approximate number of pages
Format: Variable length integer, suggested maximum length 6 digits

Reference name: <NumberOfPages>
Short tag: <b061>
Example: 442
Audio Books
Extent Composite
Reference name: <Extent>
Short tag: <extent>
PR.12.4 Extent type code
Identifies the type of extent that will be described (ex. duration)

Code list: List 23
Reference name: <ExtentType>
Short tag: <b218>
Example: 09 (Duration)
PR.12.5 Extent value
The value that relates to the type described in the Extent Type Code
Format: Numeric, with decimal point where required, as specified in field
Reference name: <ExtentValue>
Short tag: <b219>
Example: 2.5
PR.12.6 Extent unit
Identifies the unit to be used with the value

Code list: List 24
Reference name: <ExtentUnit>

Short tag: <b220>

Example: 04 (Hours as integer and decimals)
Illustrations and Other Content

Illustration and other content information is generally listed in detail in a paper catalogue, but left out of the ONIX file. I
can be included right in the ONIX file, though, making it easier to ensure that illustration and other content information
remains accurate.
ONIX Details
Illustrations and Other Content Composite
Reference name: <Illustrations>
Short tag: <illustrations>
PR.12.9 Illustration or other content type code
This code identifies the type of illustration or other content

Code list: List 25
Reference name: <IllustrationType>
Short tag: <b256>
Example: 18 (charts)
PR.12.11 Number of illustrations

Reference name: <Number>
Short tag: <b257>
Example: 12
Subject
Retailers rely on accurate subject classification and use it for purchasing decisions, merchandising, and book marketing.
In addition, accurate subject information will help your books get discovered in a browse across eCatalogues — a
function that doesn’t exist with paper catalogues.
You can also attach regional information to a subject by using BISAC Region Codes in the Additional Subject
Composite. Retailers, consumers and many others want to know if a book has regional significance - Is it about a
particular region (i.e. a guidebook)? Does it focus on some specific social or historical aspect of a specific place? Would
it be of interest to residents of a particular geographical location?
Areas of Interest
BISAC Region Codes through the Additional Subject Composite
Example

ONIX Details
PR.13.1 BISAC Main Subject Category
Format: AAA######
Code list: BISAC Subject Heading Codes
Reference name: <BASICMainSubject>
Short tag: <b064>
Additional Subject Composite

To include more than one BISAC code or to include region codes, use the Additional Subject Composite. This is also
where you include a region code for your title if it applies. Region codes are based on a numbered scheme that can at
times relate to a apecific city, or even a region within a city. The regional codes for Canada begin with 4.0.2.* and there
is a list available: BISAC Regional Themes [http://www.bisg.org/activities-programs/activity.php?n=d&id=10&cid=1].
Note: Regional Codes should be used in conjunction with a Subject Code and not in lieu of one.
Reference name <Subject>

Short tag <subject>
PR.13.9 Subject scheme identifier
Identifies what type of Subject information is going to be presented in the composite. Depending on the code, you will
then provide either PR.13.12 Subject Code or PR.13.13 Subject Heading Text, or both.
Code list: List 27
Reference name: <SubjectSchemeIdentifier>
Short tag: <b067>
Examples: 10 (BISAC Subject Heading) and 11 (BISAC Region Code)
PR.13.12 Subject code
A subject class or category code from the scheme specified in the Subject Scheme Identifier element.
Format: Variable-length, alphanumeric, suggested maximum length 20 characters.
Code list: The scheme specified in the associated <SubjectSchemeIdentifier> element.
Reference name: <SubjectCode>
Short tag: <b069>
PR.13.13 Subject heading text
The text of a subject heading taken from the scheme specified in the Subject Scheme Identifier.
Reference name: <SubjectHeadingText>
Short tag: <b070>
Audience
Particularly important for juvenile and educational publishing, audience information helps book buyers buy for and sell to
the correct audience.

ONIX Details
PR.14.1 Audience Code
Gives an overall audience range.

Format: Fixed-length, two numeric digits.
Code list: List 28
Reference name: <AudienceCode>
Short tag: <b073>
Example: 04
Audience Range Composite

For more detailed age and grade descriptions.
Reference name: <AudienceRange>

Short tag: <audiencerange>
The following elements can be used in the Audience Range composite to provide more precise audiences ranges. See
ONIX for Books for more information:
PR.14.7 Audience range qualifier

PR.14.8 Audience range precision (1)
PR.14.9 Audience range value (1)
PR.14.10 Audience range precision (2)
PR.14.11 Audience range value (2)
Other Text
Note about ONIX 3.0: Most of the elements found in the Other Text Composite in ONIX 2.1 and distinguished by codes
will be broken up into separate elements in ONIX 3.0.
Descriptions, review quotes, headlines, biographical notes, table of contents, and much more can all be described using
the Other Text composite. You already have all of this information — put it to use in your ONIX file!
Example
ONIX guidelines
Other Text Composite
Reference name: <OtherText>
Short tag: <othertext>
PR.15.3 Other Text Type Code
Format: Fixed-length, two characters

Code List: List 33
Reference name: <TextTypeCode>

Short tag: <d102>
PR.15.4 Other Text Format

Code list: List 34
Reference name: <TextFormat>
Short tag: <d103>
PR.15.5 Other Text
Format: Variable-length text

Reference name: <Text>
Short tag: <d104>
Links to Image Audio Video Files

Websites and eCatalogues give publishers the opportunity to embed media right into the page, adding extra information
to persuade the bookseller to bank on that title. The link to that media can be included right in the ONIX file, streamlining
your workflow.
ONIX Details
Image/Audio/Video File Link Composite
Reference name: <MediaFile>
Short tag: <mediafile>
PR.16.4 Image/audio/video file type code
Identifies the type of image/audio/video file

Format: Fixed-length, two characters
Code list: List 38
Reference name: <MediaFileTypeCode>
Short tag: <f114>
PR.16.5 Image/audio/video file format code
Identifies the format of the image/audio/video file

Code list: List 39
Reference name: <MediaFileFormatCode>
Short tag: <f115>
PR.16.7 Image/audio/video file link type
Identifies the type of link that is given in the <MediaFileLink> element

Code list: List 40
Reference name: <MediaFileLinkTypeCode>
Short tag: <f116>
Example: 05
PR.16.8 Image/audio/video file link
The link to the image/audio/video file

Reference name: <MediaFileLink>
Short tag: <f117>

Prizes and Awards

Book prizes and awards can have a huge impact on sales, so make sure your buyers know that your title has won or
been nominated by including that information in the ONIX file.
Example
ONIX Details
Prize Composite
Reference name <Prize>
Short tag <prize>
PR.17.2 Prize or award name

Reference name: <PrizeName>
Short tag: <g126>
Example: The Scotiabank Giller Prize
PR.17.3 Prize or award year
Format: Four digits, YYYY

Reference name: <PrizeYear>
Short tag: <g127>
Example: 2009
PR.17.4 Prize or award country
Format: Fixed-length, two letters, upper case only

Code: List 91
Reference name: <PrizeCountry>
Short tag: <g128>
Example: CA
PR.17.5 Prize or award achievement code
Format Fixed-length, two numeric digits

Code list: List 41
Reference name <PrizeCode>
Short tag <g129>
Example 01 (winner)
Content Items
Does your author have a blog or website? Do you want to direct book buyers to your corporate website? Or to a specific
page for a series? The Website Composite gives you that option and eCatalogues are a perfect way to take advantage
of this.

Example
ONIX Details
Website Composite
Reference name <Website>
Short tag <website>
PR.18.11 Website purpose

Code list: List 73
Reference name: <WebsiteRole>
Short tag: <b367>
Example: 06 (contributor website)
PR.18.12 Website description
Free text to provide a short description of the link

Reference name: <WebsiteDescription>
Short tag: <b294>
PR.18.13 Link to website
The URL for the website

Reference name: <WebsiteLink>
Short tag: <b295>
Example: http://www.booknetcanada.ca
Publisher
Example
ONIX Details
Publisher Composite

Reference name: <Publisher>

Short tag: <publisher>
PR.19.11 Publisher name
Format: Variable length text, suggested maximum length 100 characters

Reference name: <PublisherName>
Short tag: <b081>
Imprint or Brand Composite

Reference name: <Imprint>
Short tag: <imprint>
PR.19.5 Imprint or brand name
Format: Variable length text, suggested maximum length 100 characters

Reference name: <ImprintName>
Short tag: <b079>
Publishing Status
Publication date, status, and announcement dates are extremely important, but often neglected elements in an ONIX
file. If you want your eCatalogue to be up-to-date, including these elements is crucial. Trade Announcement date, in
particular, is rarely used, but could become important with eCatalogues. It indicates when information can be released to
the book trade, while not being released to the general public.
Example
ONIX Details
PR.20.1 Publishing Status

Code list: List 64
Reference name: <PublishingStatus>
Short tag: <b394>
Example: 01 (cancelled)
PR.20.3 Announcement date
When information about the product can be issued to the general public
Format: Date as year, month, day (YYYYMMDD)
Reference name: <AnnouncementDate>
Short tag: <b086>
Example: 20100614
PR.20.4 Trade announcement date

When information about the product can be issued to the book trade, while remaining embargoed for the general public
Format: Date as year, month, day (YYYYMMDD)
Reference name: <TradeAnnouncementDate>
Short tag: <b362>
Example: 20100414
PR.20.5 Publication date
Date of first publication or expected date

Format Four, six or eight numeric digits (YYYY, YYYYMM, or YYYYMMDD)
Reference name <PublicationDate>
Short tag <b003>
Example 20100914
Territorial Rights and Other Sales Restrictions

The publishing industry has some finicky details surrounding rights, but this composite can help.
Example
ONIX Details
Sales Rights Composite
Reference name: <SalesRights>
Short tag: <salesrights>
PR.21.1 Sales rights type code
Identifies the type of sales right or exclusion

Code list: List 46
Reference name: <SalesRightsType>
Short tag: <b089>
Example: 01 (exclusive rights)
PR.21.2 Rights country
Identifies the country. Successive codes can be used and separated by spaces.
Format: One or more fixed-length codes, each with two upper case letters, successive codes being separated by
spaces. Suggested maximum length 600 characters. Code list: List 91
Reference name: <RightsCountry>
Short tag: <b090>
Example: US CA (USA and Canada)
PR.21.3 Rights territory
Identifies a region that is not a country but can be described in geographical terms.
Code list: List 49
Reference name: <RightsTerritory>Short tag: <b388>
Format: One or more variable-length codes, each consisting of upper case letters with or without a hyphen, successive
codes being separated by spaces. Suggested maximum length 100 characters.
Example: WORLD
Dimensions
Your trading partners need to know the accurate information about the dimensions of your books for shipping and
stocking, and consumers need this information when they're buying online since they can't hold the book in their hand.

ONIX guidelines
Measure Composite
Reference name: <Measure>
Short tag: <measure>
PR.22.1 Measure type code

Code list: List 48
Reference name: <MeasureTypeCode>
Short tag: <c093>
Example: 01 (height)
PR.22.2 Measurement
Format: Variable length real number, with an explicit decimal point when required, suggested maximum length 6
characters including a decimal point.
Reference name: <Measurement>
Short tag: <c094>
Example: 8.25
PR.22.3 Measure unit code
Indicates the unit that dimensions are given in

Code list: List 50
Reference name: <MeasureUnitCode>
Short tag: <c095>
Example: mm Millimeters
Related Products
The Related Product composite gives you an easy way to list comparable titles and other titles by the same author right
in your ONIX file. An eCatalogue can then grab this information and display it on the page, helping booksellers make
more informed initial buys.
ONIX Details
Related Product Composite
Reference name <RelatedProduct>
Short tag <relatedproduct>
PR.23.7 Relation code
Identifies the type of relationship between two products.

Format: Fixed length, two numeric digits
Code list: List 51
Reference name: <RelationCode>
Short tag: <h208>
Example: 22 (product by same author) or 23 (similar product)
Product Identifier Composite

Within the Related Product Composite, you will use a Product Identifier Composite to list the related product.

Reference name: <ProductIdentifier>

Short tag: <productidentifier>
PR.23.10 Product Identifier Type Code
The Product Identifier Type Code tells the eCatalogue which type of identifier you’re going to be listing in the Identifier
Value.
Format: Fixed-length, 2 numeric digits
Code List: List 5
Reference name: <ProductIDType>
Short tag: <b221>
PR.23.12 Identifier Value
The Identifier Value is the number that will be displayed

Format: According to the identifier type specified in <ProductIDType>
Reference name: <IDValue>
Short tag: <b244>
Supplier
Embargo date, price, and availability — oh, my! It's all important, and all found in the Supplier and Trade Data
Composite.
Example
ONIX Details
Supplier and Trade Data Composite
PR.24.6 Supplier name

Reference name: <SupplierName>
Short tag: <j137>
Example:
PR.24.13 Supplier role
Identifies the role of a supplier in relation to the product

Code list: List 93
Reference name: <SupplierRole>
Short tag: <j292>
PR.24.21 Availability status code
Indicates the availability of a product

Code list: List 54

Reference name: <AvailabilityCode>

Short tag: <j141>
Example: OP (out of print)
PR.24.22 Product availability
Indicates the availability of a product from a supplier

Code list: List 65
Reference name <ProductAvailability>
Short tag <j396>
PR.24.34 Expected availability date
Also known as the ship date or release date

Format: Date as year and month (YYYYMM) or as specified in <DateFormat>
Reference name <ExpectedShipDate>
Short tag <j142>
PR.24.35 On sale date
Identifies when a product can be put on sale by retailers. Also known as an embargo or laydown date.
Format Date as year, month, day (YYYYMMDD)
Reference name <OnSaleDate>
Short tag <j143>
PR.24.44 Pack or carton quantity
Format Variable-length integer, suggested maximum length four digits

Reference name <PackQuantity>
Short tag <j145>
Example 24
PR.24.63 Price amount
Format Variable length real number, with explicit decimal point when required, suggested maximum length 12
characters
Reference name <PriceAmount>
Short tag <j151>
Example 18.99
PR.24.64 Currency code
Format Fixed-length, three letters

Code list: List 96
Reference name <CurrencyCode>
Short tag <j152>
Marketing and Promotions

Your marketing and promotions efforts can impact initial buys of your books. Keep this information current by including it
in your ONIX feeds and always have up-to-date information. Initial print runs are also included within this section of
ONIX.
ONIX Details
PR.26.1 Promotion campaign information
Free text describing the marketing and promotions efforts for the title.
Format: Variable-length text, suggested maximum length 1,000 characters

Reference name: <PromotionCampaign>

Short tag: <k165>
PR.26.2 Promotion contact details
Free text area that allows you to include contact information for marketing and promotions.
Reference name: <PromotionContact>
Short tag: <k166>
PR.26.3 Initial print run

Reference name: <InitialPrintRun>
Short tag: <k167>

Glossary
BISAC Regional Themes
BISAC Regional Themes are used in addition to Subject Codes and Mercahndising Themes, but cannot be used in lieu
of a Subject Code. Regional Themes can be used for both fiction and non-fiction, and are meant to identify a region that
is specific to the subject of a book. Canadian-specific Regional Themes can be found under 4.0.2.#.#.#.# in the list.
More information about BISAC Regional Themes
BISAC Subject Headings List

Also known as the BISAC Subject Codes List, the BISAC Subject Headings List is a standard used to categorize books
within the supply chain. Proper categorization will help your books be discovered while browsing online and in-store,
since it relates to where the book is shelved.
More information about BISAC Subject Headings
Code List
ONIX for Books and Increase Sales & Lower Costs With Better Metadata both reference a code list. The list number you
see points to a specific section of the overall code list, helping to break it into smaller chunks.
Codes are part of the ONIX standard and are used to ensure that all trading partners can work together with their data.
When using codes, it's important to remember that it's all in the details: case matters, 1 isn't the same as 01, and never
go with the fake it 'til you make it approach — look it up!
More information about Code Lists
Composite
A Composite in ONIX is a grouping of related elements that work together to describe one section of your data. An
example of this is the Contributor Composite, which contains all the information about contributor name, role, display
order, etc.
ONIX
ONIX stands for ONline Information eXchange and is an XML-based language used to communicate information about
your books.
ONIX is a way of tagging information about your books — such as the ISBN, title, contributor, description, price, and
availability — for computer-to-computer communication. All of this data is needed to support the sale of your books in
the supply chain, but it is also becoming more and more visible as websites and catalogues can use this metadata to
populate their pages.
More information about ONIX
ONIX Feed
An ONIX feed is what we call an update routine. Book records need to be updated as information changes --– reviews,
awards, even author signings might be added. And even if nothing changes, records need to be resent so retailers know
their information is current.
PR

PR numbers are a reference to ONIX for Books, making it easy to find information about ONIX elements across
documentation.
Reference Names and Short Tags

Each element in ONIX has both a Reference Name and Short Tag as a way of labeling. You can use either Reference
Names or Short Tags, but not both, within your file.
Reference Names are better for human readability, but produce a larger file. Short Tags are more concise, but hard to
read.
More on Reference Names and Short Tags
Schema
A schema is a set of rules that define the structure of a file.
Schema Validation
Schema validation is the process of checking your file against the rules set out in the schema. Think of it as a checklist,
where each rule needs to be checked off before your file is considered valid.
More about schema validation on a PC

More about schema validation on a Mac
XML
XML stands for extensible markup language. It's a set of rules for defining information for computer-to-computer
communication. Think of it as content without form: XML is what is in the background describing what everything is, then
how it looks is determined by where that information is being used.

Increase Sales & Profits With Better ONIX Metadata

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Increase Sales & Profits With Better ONIX Metadata

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Increase Sales & Lower Costs

With Better Metadata

BookNet Canada with the Canadian Bookshelf 2

— Cecilia Tan, Circlet Press

— 2009 Bowker PubTrack Consumer Report

“The Internet trifecta of search, browse, buy is the end game.”

— Evan Schnittman, Oxford University Press

Start With ONIX

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3.5 Steps to Getting the Most Out of Your Metadata

Step 1 - Own Your Data

Step 2 - Keep Up to Date

Accurate Title Information

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Annual Data Certification

BNC BiblioShare Detailed Reports

Step 3 - Use Information You Already Have to Sell More Books

A complete contributor (or author) profile including:

Rich descriptive text including:

Jacket copy / descriptions

Other supporting information, such as:

Prize or award nominations

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Step 3.5 - Validate Your Files

— Tom Richardson, BookNet Canada

Tools for ONIX

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BookNet Canada’s ONIX Information

BNC ONIX Guidebook [pdf]

Canadian Bibliographic Standard [pdf]

The ONIX Code Lists

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Information About ONIX Elements

PR.2.7 Product Identifier Type Code

Format: Fixed-length, 2 numeric digits

Code List: List 5

Reference name: <ProductIDType>

Short tag: <b221>

Example: 15 (ISBN 13)

PR.2.9 Identifier Value

The Identifier Value is the number that will be displayed

Format: According to the identifier type specified in <ProductIDType>

Reference name: <IDValue>

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Short tag: <b244>

PR.3.1 Product Form Code

PR.3.2 Product Form Detail

Product Form Feature Composite

PR.3.3 Product Form Feature Type

This code represents the feature that is being described.

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PR.3.4 Product Form Feature Value

PR.3.9 Number of Pieces

Contained Item Composite

PR.3.17 Contained item product form code

Format: Fixed-length, two letters

PR.3.25 Contained item number of pieces

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PR.5.6 Series title

Format: Variable-length text, suggested maximum length 300 characters

PR.5.7 Number within series