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ONIX is not a database and you don't have to change your database in order to use it. Don't be worried by the acronym: it isn't a programming language and it can't "do" anything. It just describes. It 's provides two things: Code Lists with their standard international definitions that support clear communication, and a file format for the delivery of book information.
You could also send this information ONIX Codes can be used to clarify information sent via Excel spreadsheet, Delimited delimited ASCII (tab or comma, with our without headings), Fixed fixed width, HTML, Word, QuarkXpress, email message or hard copy, but the ONIX file format is the preferred method because XML and it's comprehensive book record ONIX offers have distinct advantages over other formats.
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ONIX Makes It Easier To Sell Books
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The ONIX message is a set of data elements defined by tags written in XML (eXtensible Markup Language). This conforms with a DTD (Document Type Definition) which The XML definitions provided its schema defines, among other things, how to order the data elements and how the elements are interrelated.
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ONIX is a common language of terms and definitions, which describe the data fields needed to express the rich information publishers and retailers require. The standard is released once every few years so supporting code lists are constantly evolvinghas new structures added irregularly but done typically between every one to two years. Supporting code lists are updated around 4 times a year.
It is also a standardized means of electronic delivery that uses recognizable XML tags for each data element. You can choose to use long tags (which are descriptive) or short tags (which aren't). ONIX uses a series of 148 data elements to describe book information. The data elements are simple identifiers enclosed in angle brackets. For example, the tag is used to indicate an ISBN, while identifies the title.
Of the 148 elements, 42 are designated as the kernel - the bare minimum that every publisher should supply about every book, though not all the kernel elements will apply to every book, and many of the non-kernel elements are very desirable to include as well. While it might sound complex, in reality ONIX is a simple format for even small publishers with limited budgets. ONIX-formatted files can be created with something as simple as a basic text editor or Microsoft's free XML Notepad or Simple Text.
The ONIX Document Type Definition (DTD) contains in its entirety over 230 data elements and composite elements, organized into 38 groups. Of these groups, 25 relate to product records, 6 to main series records and 7 to sub-series records.
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readable descriptive tags called "reference" or "short" code-like tags (EDItEUR and BookNet both recommend using reference tags – there's really no functional difference but <PublisherName>Your Press Name</PublisherName> is self-explanatory and <b081>Your Press Name</b081> is not).
How ONIX works is simple: An ONIX record represents a single salable product with a unique ISBN. An ONIX file contains multiple records and it allows a retailer or other company to load book metadata in bulk direct to their database. An ONIX record can contain everything a business needs to know to sell the book as well as all the material they need to display to consumers so they can make a buying decision. The publisher provides the retailer with everything they need and can maintain control of many or all aspects of their product's presentation to the public, as well as set up special pricing, licensing arrangements and so on in a file format designed to be both comprehensive and updated regularly. As marketing needs change an ONIX record can, and should be, updated. Problems are minimized because all trading partners should get the same data. All this assumes a publisher stores their information in a database of some sort, though ONIX specific software does exist.
One point that's confusing is ONIX comes in two incompatible versions: 2.1 developed between 1999 and 2009 (see the next section), and 3.0 developed from 2009 ongoing. It's best to think of 3.0 as both a different mapping (explained below) and a tweaked version of 2.1. Design choices made in 2.1 couldn't accommodate digital products and that forced changes that "broke" the structure or logic of 2.1. EDItEUR developed new and better logic, then made small changes for clarity and functionality throughout ONIX 3.0. They "tweaked" 2.1 making 3.0 overall simpler, more accurate and smarter. And then development continued providing new metadata support and improvements for another decade. Business needs are not static and metadata changes.
Anything you can say in ONIX 2.1 can be said in ONIX 3.0. In many if not most cases, it can be said the same way, but if you think of a publisher having a database of information the "mapping" of it to ONIX 2.1 is different than the mapping to ONIX 3.0. Mapping in this sense would include conversion of values in the publisher's dataset. As example: A publisher would "know" and record that this ISBN is the EPUB ebook version, then map that knowledge appropriately to the ONIX standard. In ONIX 2.1 an ebook's primary format code, called Product Form, comes from ONIX Code List 7 and is "DG", the fact it's the EPUB is conveyed by a List 10 EpubType code of "029". ONIX 3.0 also uses Product Form as well but it's source Code List is 150 (not the same list as 2.1) and and the basic digital book's code is "EA" and is supported by a List 175 Product Form Detail code of "E101". If your head is spinning don't worry as all of that is likely handled by your software. This just illustrates that it's the same information but is meant by a different "mapping".
The above example seems to be one-to-one but in other sections, say describing Territories and Rights, the actual logic ONIX 3.0 use is different in small ways that allow greater clarity. Again, the publisher should know what they mean, but would need to map it differently. A goal of ONIX 2.1 was to support international sales and it comes close to doing that. ONIX 3.0 "tweaks" the information, presents it subtly differently and achieves that support with much more clarity. 2.1 could be ambiguous – 3.0's changed structure less so. So it's the same publisher information but presented differently and if you care about accuracy you'll appreciate ONIX 3.0.
The most important problem to be solved by any publisher is to actually know what rights they have and the territories they service and the same for companies they contract with to provide that service. That's hard to track. ONIX makes trading the information easy.
The digital supply chain is in many ways distinct and is largely compatible with ONIX 3.0 (if ONIX is accepted). The confusing part is both versions of ONIX work well for print and North American publishers and the print supply chain invested heavily in ONIX 2.1 development. While ONIX 3.0 is not hugely different for print products the fact it's not a one-to-one conversion with 2.1 means development work is required. The experience of companies who have done the development is that it's easier to change than they expect, but overall the print publishers and retailers in North America have not made the transition yet. This means that anyone starting out has to at least consider supporting both ONIX 2.1 and 3.0.
This issue will be sorted out over the next few years.
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ONIX 2.1 is no longer a supported standard.
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If you need help, contact biblio@booknetcanada.ca.
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ONIX 3.0 Revision
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6
ONIX 3.0.6 April 30
ONIX 3.0.5 October 26, 2018 is latest version of ONIX. It is a fairly minor revision adding a new element to Block 3 (Content) to support chapter-level audio time codes, and two Block 6 (Product Supply) additions to support pallet quantity and designate tax exempt. Several other minor updates and changes are detailed in the specification (look under "Introduction" for a summary of revision changes and details under "Document History." Appendix A1 is a complete list of all ONIX composite and elements in ONIX file or schema order.)
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Current North American metadata Is defined By:
Version 3.0.5 6 -- Revision 56
ONIX Code List 45 ONIX_BookProduct_Codelists_Issue_45_Changes.pdf
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