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Keepers Registry

ISSN International Centre
France
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About

Launched: 2019
Record Updated: Sep 26, 2025
Index or directory
The Keepers Registry acts as a global monitor on the archiving arrangements for continuing resources including e-serials. The Registry has three main purposes:
To enable librarians and policy makers to find out who is looking after what e-content, how, and with what terms of access.
To highlight e-journals which are still “at risk of loss” and need to be archived.
To showcase the archiving organisations around the world, i.e. the Keepers, which provide the digital shelves for access to content over the long term.

Mission

FOSTERING THE WORLDWIDE PRESERVATION OF SERIAL PUBLICATIONS
The long-term preservation of electronic serial publications is essential for maintaining access to the entire scholarly record, as well as for preserving cultural heritage. Since 2019, the Keepers' Registry has been an integral part of the ISSN services. It acts as a global monitor of archiving arrangements for serial publications, with 20 archiving agencies participating as of October 2025. Archiving agencies share data about the resources they hold with the ISSN International Centre, which matches it with its own data, using the ISSN as the linchpin for data matching. The archival status of resources is available free of charge on the website and includes details of the collections. It helps libraries and publishers check which titles are preserved and which are at risk of loss.

Key Achievements

Since 2019, the number of participating institutions has grown from 13 to 20. The number of continuing publications, known as preserved, has also grown, reaching 100,000 titles. We have developed a service called Submit. Retrieve. Reuse that allows users to download data about archived materials and reuse it in their own systems. Communication is also important for the service and there have been papers presented at NASIG annual conference, Latindex General Assembly and IPres2024. We have developed a new strategy for 2029 including the selective expansion of the Keepers Registry network by adding archiving agencies in world regions that are at the moment less well-covered, the development of targeted statistics about the progress of the preservation efforts, and the implementation of a tool assessing the archival status of a journal collection to aid in the collection management efforts by libraries and other organisations.

Technical Attributes

Maintenance Status

Actively Maintained

Open API

In Progress

Open Data Statement

In Progress

Technical Attribute Statements

Technology Readiness Level

  • Actual system proven in operational environment

Standards

Metadata

  • MARC

Integrations

  • Crossref
  • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
  • OpenAlex

Community Engagement

Community Statements

User Contribution Pathways

  • Contribute to governance

Community Engagement Activities

  • Community calls
  • Interest, working, user, or advisory groups

Policies & Governance

Governance Summary

The Keepers Registry Advisory Committee consists of three representatives from archiving agencies, three from user communities, and two external experts. The Director of the ISSN International Centre convenes two to three meetings per year. The committee reviews applications from agencies and shares its views on the development of the service.

Policies

Bylaws

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Web Accessibility Statement

In Progress

Governance Structure & Processes

Implemented
Website (Opens in new window)

Policy Statements

Board Structure

  • Advisory board or steering committee

Board Level

The Advisory Committee's remit is to develop the KRS Strategy by regularly reviewing its mission and purpose, involving stakeholder communities in advising on service development and maximising the impact and use of human and financial resources. The TAC will also devise a recruitment strategy for new agencies, specifying the application process, selection procedure and take-down policy. The TAC will also promote KRS globally.

Community Governance

  • Formal

Additional Information

Organizational History

The service started with the University of Edinburgh with funding from JISC. In 2019, JISC stopped funding it and the ISSN International Centre took over.

Organizational Structure

Business or Ownership Model

Intergovernmental organization

Full-time Staff

11-20

Current Affiliations

The ISSN IC is an intergovernmental organisation supported by the French Government and its 95 Members states. They contribute to the budget of the organisation on a bi-annual basis.

Funding

Primary Funding Source

  • Contributions
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