25 Years in the DNB: The Journal Database

Since January 1, 2000, the German Serials Database aka Die Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZDB) has been processed online in the ILTIS system of the German National Library (DNB). This followed a project between DNB and the Berlin State Library (SBB) under tight deadlines. Since 2016, the German ISSN Centre has been assigning and cataloging ISSNs directly in ZDB. Since 2018, ZDB and the ISSN portal have included mutual links. Today, ZDB, now containing over 2.1 million titles and 5.5 million holdings, is the largest database for ongoing resources globally. It offers cooperative, freely accessible data. Over time, ZDB has expanded its services, including batch deliveries and metadata harvesting. In 2023, it became a “trusted partner” in WorldCat, further solidifying its role in bibliographic data.