Program Details

• Program basics: what, who and how?
• Product data eligible for certification
• The evaluation process
• Data points included in the quantitative evaluation
• Data points included in the qualitative evaluation
• Data points not applicable to a given product
• Valid file formats
• Recertification requirements
• Reciprocal product data certification programs in other countries
• Additional information

Program basics: what, who and how?

1. What is the Product Data Certification Program (PDCP)? The PDCP is a voluntary program that objectively evaluates product information against the clearly defined criteria found in the Metadata Committee's Product Metadata Best Practices. Data files, submitted in either ONIX 2.1 or Excel, are evaluated by a certification panel composed of representatives from leading data recipients in North America, including Baker & Taylor, Barnes & Noble, Bowker, Ingram and the Library of Congress.
2. Who can apply? The program is open to all suppliers of product data.
3. How do I apply? Click here.

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Product data eligible for certification

Products first become subject to data certification 180 days prior to their publication or on-sale date and remain subject to data certification until 180 days after their publication or on-sale date.

All products intended for sale to consumers that move through the book industry supply chain and that are numbered with a Bookland EAN are subject to data certification. This includes non-book products such as calendars, stationery, maps, recorded music, video products, games, etc. that carry Bookland EANs. Multi-volume sets intended for consumer sale are subject to data certification. Products not intended for sale to consumers, such as pre-packs, dump-bins, displays, signage, etc., are explicitly excluded from data certification.

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The evaluation process

Files are evaluated for timeliness, file structure and adherence to Best Practices. Each file undergoes a three-part evaluation.

1. ONIX files are tested for conformance with the EDItEUR DTD and for the presence of valid XML structure. Excel files are checked for conformance with BookNet Canada's Bronze template.
2. The files are then checked for the presence of valid data within the mandatory data fields specified below. Eighty percent (80%) of a supplier's records must contain valid data in each measurable data point for a supplier's file to be passed on to the certification panel for further evaluation and qualitative scoring. Product records that are missing ALL data from any of the required measurable data elements will not be counted as records that "pass" certification.
3. If the file meets the minimum quantitative score of 80%, the file is passed along to the certification panel, who will review a representative sample of records for qualitative attributes; that is, the quality of the data itself will be evaluated. Sixteen fields (see below) will be reviewed for their accuracy, applicability and adherence to best practices. A score is assessed, based on the percentage of inaccurate or badly formatted data within each field; the fields are weighted differently to reflect the relative importance of each field from the perspective of the data recipients.

An applicant's score will be confidential and not divulged to any parties other than the applicant, the members of the certification panel and the BISG staff who administer the program.

Note: Data points that do not apply to every product (e.g., series data) will NOT be included in the calculation of a data supplier's numeric score, but the omission of such data in records where it should have been included will be noted by the certification panel in its evaluation.

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Data included in the quantitative evaluation

All products to be released in the 180 days following the date on which the submitted file was produced are evaluated for the presence of valid data in the following data elements :

• ISBN-13/EAN.UCC-13
  
• Title
  
• Contributor(s) [-1-]
  
• Publisher / imprint / brand name
  
• Price (prices for all markets where this ISBN may be sold should be included)
  
• Publisher's proprietary discount code
  
• Publisher status code
  
• Product availability code
  
• Product form / format / binding / packaging
  
• Strict-on-sale date [-2-]
  
• BISAC Subject Code(s)
  
• Language of product content
  
• Series data [-1-]
  
• Replaces / replaced by [-2-]
  
• Case pack / carton quantity
  

[-1-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, an indication should be given that there is no applicable data.

[-2-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, no data should be supplied in this data element. In such cases, the omission of this data will not count as an incomplete record for purposes of certification.

All products released within the 180 days prior to the date on which the test file was produced are evaluated for the presence of valid data in the following data elements:

• ISBN-13/EAN.UCC-13
  
• Title
  
• Contributor(s) [-1-]
  
• Publisher / imprint / brand name
  
• Price (prices for all markets where this ISBN may be sold should be included)
  
• Publisher's proprietary discount code
  
• Publisher status code
  
• Product availability code
  
• Product form / format / binding / packaging
  
• Strict-on-sale date [-2-]
  
• BISAC Subject Code(s)
  
• Language of product content
  
• Series data [-1-]
  
• Replaces / replaced by [-2-]
  
• Case pack / carton quantity
  
• ONIX Audience Code
  
• Age range of target audience [-2-]
  
• Territorial rights
  
• Bar code indicator
  
• Weight and dimensions
  
• Return code
  
• Page count, running time, and extent
  
• Distributor / vendor of record
  
• Textual description of product
  

[-1-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, an indication should be given that there is no applicable data.

[-2-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, no data should be supplied in this data element. In such cases, the omission of this data will not count as an incomplete record for purposes of certification.

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Data points included in the qualitative evaluation

The following data points are evaluated for the correct usage and format suggested by Product Metadata Best Practices:

• Title
  
• Contributor(s) [-1-]
  
• Publisher / imprint / brand name
  
• Price (prices for all markets where this ISBN may be sold should be included) [-1-]
  
• Publisher status code
  
• Publication Date
  
• Product availability code
  
• Product form / format / binding / packaging
  
• BISAC Subject Code(s)
  
• Language of product content
  
• Strict-on-sale date [-2-]
  
• Series data [-1-]
  
• Volume Number / Set Data [-2-]
  
• Edition Data [-1-]
  
• ONIX Audience Code
  
• Age range of target audience [-2-]
  
• Textual description of product
  
• Illustration Details
  
• Digital Image of Product
  

[-1-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, an indication should be given that there is no applicable data.

[-2-] This data point does not necessarily apply to every product; in cases where this data does not apply to a given product, no data should be supplied in this data element. In such cases, the omission of this data will not count as an incomplete record for purposes of certification.

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Data points not applicable to a given product

Where noted in the lists above, certain data points should be supplied only as applicable. Data suppliers using ONIX should utilize the ONIX data points that indicate, for example, no series data applies to a given product in such cases.

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Valid file formats

ONIX 2.1 files are accepted. Detailed information about ONIX can be found at the EDItEUR website.

Alternatively, BISG has designated the BookNet Canada (BNC) Bronze Template (Excel format) for bibliographic data for data suppliers who have not implemented ONIX. The BNC Bronze Template and supporting documentation may be found on BookNet Canada's website.

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Recertification Requirements

Product Data Certification is good for one year; each data supplier must re-certify annually.

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Reciprocal product data certification programs in other countries

PDCP has been designed in close consultation with BookNet Canada (BNC). It is anticipated that any data file certified by PDCP will be acceptable to BNC.

The data certification programs in place in the UK (BIC Basic) and Australia (Australian Publishers Association [APA]) require the supply of some data points specific to those markets (e.g., BIC Subject Codes) that many North American publishers are not currently capable of supplying. All data points that are common to the BISG, BIC, and APA certification programs, however, should be measured using compatible guidelines.

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Additional information

• Latest version of BISG's Product Metadata Best Practices.
• BookNet Canada Bronze Template for submitting files in Excel format.
• Information on ONIX for Books can be found on the EDItEUR website.
  

You may also contact the BISG office by calling 646-336-7141 or emailing info@bisg.org.