ONIX Codelist 73 released

Codelist Issue 73 for ONIX 3.0 has been released.* Complete listings of the ONIX codelists can be downloaded from the EDItEUR website.

• Issue 73 stand-alone codelist documentation as a readable PDF or HTML file (open and read it in your web browser)

• Issue 73 TXT, CSV, XML, JSON files for loading into your data management applications

• Issue 73 XSD, RNG, DTD schema modules for use with existing XML schema files (but note that it's better to download the latest 3.1 schemas since they incorporate a couple of small improvements as well as the new Block 8)

• The ‘strict’ XSD 1.1 with Issue 73 (the strict XSD must be updated each time there is a new issue of the codelists, as it includes some codelists within the XSD itself)

• The online browser for the ONIX code lists at ns.editeur.org/onix has been updated to issue 73

Need help finding and using the documentation? Read this.

Everyone should review the document summarizing the changes and update their systems. Ask if you have questions, but out of that list, these are of particular note to the Canadian book supply chain.

List 18 – Person / organization name type

The addition of new code 09 to denote a contributor’s “Professional name” necessitated changes to existing codes 01 (“Pseudonym”) and 04 (“‘Real’ name”).

Type of Change	Code	Label	Note
Change to existing code note	01	Pseudonym	“Pen name,” usually adopted for anonymity, semi-anonymity or for branding purposes. May be used to give a well-known pseudonym, where another name is a “real” name.
	04	‘Real’ name	May be used to identify a “real” name, where another name is a pseudonym, professional name, or is unnamed.
New code	09	Professional name	Name other than a “pen name” adopted for professional purposes (e.g., a “stage name”).

List 145 – Usage type

Two new codes have been added to express explicit rights for text and data mining (TDM):

• New code 13: “TDM for AI to enhance the private purchase experience”, should be used “where text and data mining is prohibited or otherwise expressly reserved by the rightsholder, make use of the content of the product (text, images, audio etc) or the product metadata or supporting resources to train or enable a generative AI enhanced purchase experience for a customer, with no use outside of a private AI instance controlled by the reseller – for example to provide AI-assisted book selection.”

• New code 14: “TDM for AI to enhance the private reading experience”, should be used “where text and data mining is prohibited or otherwise expressly reserved by the rightsholder, make use of the content of the product (text, images, audio etc) or the product metadata or supporting resources to train or enable a generative AI enhanced reading experience for the purchaser, with no use outside of a private AI instance controlled by the reseller or embedded in the product itself – for example to provide AI enhanced reading.”

EDItEUR also notes that “similar codes are added to List 230 for use within <PriceConstraint>.”

List 163 – Publishing Date Role

List 163 for Publishing Date Role sees three new codes, following months of discussion across the international supply chain.

Code	Label	Note
37	Year of publication	Where this is managed separately from the date of publication (code 01), for example for library use. Note, requires an explicit dateformat="05" attribute (YYYY). Additionally: “Year of publication” is not always the YYYY segment of the publication date. For convenience, it's sometimes listed as the year following publication, in much the same way that monthly magazines use a “cover month” following the month in which they are published.
38	Preview embargo date	Date from which previews of a product may be made available, where the embargo is managed separately from any Sales embargo date. Applies to all previews (previews in or , previews covered by and external preview “widgets”) unless overridden by a Valid from date for a specific preview.
39	Library embargo date	For digital products that are available to end customers both via retail sale and sales to libraries, the earliest date the product can be made available to purchase by libraries, or made available by a library to patrons. For any embargo on non-library sales, see code 02.

Codes 38 and 39 were added following extensive conversations of strict on sale / embargo dates in the North American English market.

You'll find more information about dates in the forthcoming 2026 edition of BookNet Canada's and Book Industry Study Group's Best Practices for Product Metadata: Guide for North American Data Senders and Receivers. Make sure you sign up for BookNet’s newsletter to receive notice once it’s ready for release!

*An updated note to ONIX 2.1 users

As we’ve stated several times in these update posts, ONIX 2.1 users should note that codelist updates no longer apply to ONIX 2.1 and users should continue to use Issue 36. ONIX 3.0 code lists and schema modules no longer contain codes or lists unique to ONIX 2.1. With the release of this codelist 73, ONIX 2.1 documentation will remain available as an archive but not otherwise supported on the EDItEUR website.

BookNet Canada still recommends that you use and periodically update your copy of EDItEUR's best practices guide. It’s an essential ONIX 3.1 guide, but much of the information in it applies equally to ONIX 3.0.