ISO 5426-1983 PDF

Full title and description

ISO 5426:1983 — Extension of the Latin alphabet coded character set for bibliographic information interchange. Specifies an extended set of Latin-script graphic characters, with coded representations, intended for use in the interchange of bibliographic data between data-processing and message transmission systems.

Abstract

Contains a set of 76 graphic characters together with a code table and a legend identifying each graphic, its name and its intended use. The character set supplements the international reference version of ISO 646 to enable interchange of bibliographic citations (and annotations) in a wide range of Latin-alphabet languages and their transliterations.

General information

• Status: Published (International Standard; confirmed on periodic review).
• Publication date: November 1983 (Edition 2, 1983-11).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 35.040.10 — Coding of information and character sets.
• Edition / version: Edition 2 (1983).
• Number of pages: 6.

Scope

Defines an 8‑bit (single-byte) extension covering 76 additional Latin-script graphic characters for bibliographic interchange. The standard supplies a code table and legends with explanatory notes so the character repertoire can be used together with ISO 646 and related ISO escape conventions to represent names, titles and annotations across many Latin‑based languages and romanization schemes.

Key topics and requirements

• Specification of 76 additional graphic characters with code points and glyph identifications.
• Code table and legend describing each character, its name and intended bibliographic use.
• Intended interoperability with ISO 646 and ISO 2022 escape mechanisms for international exchange.
• Designed to support bibliographic data for numerous languages and their transliterations.
• Supplemented by a later Part 2 (ISO 5426‑2) addressing additional minor‑language and historical characters.

Typical use and users

Used by library technologists, bibliographic systems implementers, cataloguing agencies, standards bodies and software developers working on bibliographic data interchange, MARC/Z39.50 conversions, and legacy character-encoding migrations where extended Latin characters are required.

Related standards

Closely related documents include ISO 5426‑2 (Part 2: Latin characters used in minor European languages and obsolete typography, 1996), ISO 646 (International Reference Version), ISO 2022 (escape sequences and code extension techniques), and national/sectoral bibliographic encodings such as ANSI/NISO Z39.47 (ANSEL). Implementers often consider these standards together when mapping or converting bibliographic records.

Keywords

ISO 5426, character set, Latin alphabet, bibliographic interchange, coded character set, encoding, cataloguing, bibliographic data, ANSEL, ISO 646, ISO 2022.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 5426:1983 is an ISO international standard that defines an extended Latin alphabet coded character set (76 additional graphic characters) intended specifically for bibliographic information interchange.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers the code table and legend for 76 extended Latin characters, explains their use in bibliographic contexts and how they work alongside ISO 646 and ISO 2022 mechanisms to support international interchange of cataloguing and citation data.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Library/information science technologists, cataloguing systems, archives, standards implementers, and software engineers handling legacy bibliographic encodings and conversions.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The 1983 edition (Edition 2) remains the published ISO document; the standard was subject to periodic review and was confirmed as current in ISO’s review cycle (confirmation noted in ISO records). Some implementations and communities have also adopted related or newer encodings (for example ANSEL or Unicode mappings) for broader character coverage and modern interoperability.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — ISO 5426 has a Part 2 (ISO 5426‑2, 1996) covering additional Latin characters used in minor European languages and obsolete typography; ISO 5426 is also related to other ISO character‑set and encoding standards such as ISO 646 and ISO 2022.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Character set, Latin alphabet, bibliographic interchange, encoding, ISO 5426, extended characters, cataloguing, code table.