What is an ISBN and where to obtain one if applying in Canada, UK, or the USA.
An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique, unduplicated and internationally recognized 13 digit number that identifies the title of a published work. It is usually found on the back of a printed title above the barcode. An ISBN, or product code, is used by librarians, booksellers, and publishers to order and identify books. Who Should Obtain an ISBN?
Any publisher who is interested in selling their product in book stores or Internet booksellers will require an ISBN. For the purposes of applying for an ISBN, a 'publisher' is defined as "the person or body who takes the financial risk in making a product available. For example, if a product went on sale and sold no copies at all, the Publisher is usually the person or body who loses money" (UK ISBN Agency). In this context, writers who want to self-publish are considered publishers. Publishers can only apply for an ISBN from the country in which they are based. Ads by Google Spiritual eBook Publisher Your eBook Matters. Get Published Today w/ Balboa Press. Free Guide! www.BalboaPress.com We Will Publish Your Book From $199. Keep your rights. Set your pricing. Free guide. OutskirtsPress.com/selfpublishing
Not all publishers require an ISBN. If the work is self-published and is not going to be placed in book stores or libraries, there is no legal obligation to obtain an ISBN. However, the benefits of having an ISBN include access to bibliographic databases which are used by booksellers and libraries to provide information on titles to their customers. Five Parts of an ISBN
the EAN (European article number) product code: the first three digits of the EAN bar code number;
the group identifier: a single digit following the EAN product code that specifies the country or language in which the book is published;
the publisher prefix: a number that identifies a particular publisher within the preceding group;
the title identifier: a number that identifies a particular title or edition of a title issued by the preceding publisher;
the check digit: a single digit at the end of the ISBN that validates the accuracy of the ISBN (Collections Canada).
Applying for an ISBN in Canada, UK, and USA
Canadian publishers can apply online for an ISBN through Library and Archives Canada, Canadian ISBN Service System (CISS). French language publishers located in Quebec or outside of Quebec can obtain an ISBN from Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. In Canada, ISBN numbers are free to publishers and are usually issued within 10 days. Popular topics
Applications for an ISBN in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland are processed through the UK ISBN Agency. The agency does not accept applications for single ISBN numbers; a minimum of 10 numbers is required at a cost of £111.86. The standard service time is 10 working days, excluding weekends and holidays. No online appllication is available. Bowker is the official ISBN Agency in the United States. Various packages are available online which include add on services such as SEO title card which is described as "search-optimized web pages featuring information about your titles" (Bowker). Single ISBN number packages are available starting at $125.00.
An ISBN identifies a title as unique. It is also the main way that major search engines such as google, bing, and yahoo find a book, and how booksellers organize their databases to sell in store and online. If the goal is to make a title available to a wide audience, applying for an ISBN is a necessary step.
