Over the next two days, 24 and 25 September, the International ISBN Agency conducted its 2024 Annual General Meeting in the François-Mitterrand building of the Bibliothèque national de France, in Paris. The meeting was opened by Gilles Pécout, President of the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, and chaired by Beat Barblan Chairman of the International ISBN Agency and General Manager of the US publishing data company Bowker. 95 delegates from 55 individual ISBN agencies from around the world were registered to attend the AGM which featured an overview of the French publishing industry delivered by Renaud Lefebvre, Director General of the French IPA member in France the Syndicat national de l’édition (SNE), updates from the International ISBN Secretariat, reports from national ISBN agencies, and status updates on other identifiers including ISSN, ISMN, ISCC and UMId. The next International ISBN Agency AGM will be held in São Paulo, Brazil in September 2025 and will be hosted by one of the IPA’s members in Brazil, the Cámara Brasileira do Livro (CBL).
IPA Secretary General at International ISBN Agency’s Annual General Meeting in Paris.
On 23 September, IPA Secretary General José Borghino participated in a meeting of the International ISBN Agency’s Board at the head office of French data services company Electre in Paris France. IPA continues to be represented as an ex officio member on the Board of this organization which administers the 13-digit identifier that is indispensable for the smooth operation of global publishing.