ISBN stands for “International Standard Book Number”. It is a unique identifier for books, eBooks, tapes, and CD’s. The ISBN numbering system is used worldwide and publishers around the globe identify their work in this standardized format. Each title or edition must be identified by a unique ISBN.  In essence, the ISBN number for books  is similar to a license plate which guarantees that each book type product is identified uniquely.

The International ISBN Agency in the UK coordinates all ISBN allotments while individual group agencies assign ISBNs for each country. Every country has an organization which administers these numbers and the U.S. ISBN Agency is run by Bowker. Bar Code Graphics, Inc. has an agreement with the U.S. ISBN Agency and our Publisher Services division  is able to act as an agent for small publishers and facilitate single ISBN assignments with a publisher’s name listed as the registrant (Publisher Packages). Today, Publisher Services is now the largest authorized agent and provides the majority of ISBN assignment to self-publishers.

Unfortunately, there are a few internet companies which prey on new self-publishers. Since the ISBN assignment uniquely identifies a title for the life of the book, authors need to be assured of the legitimacy and security of the assigning company. There is even a company which calls itself isbnagency.com, and they are not the U.S. ISBN agency.A key part of the ISBN assignment process is REGISTERING book information and cover art within the Global Books In Print Database. This function enables book discoverability. Publisher Services clients get to enter upload their title information and cover art through our online portal which automatically uploads to the master database. Without this assurance, you might just be receiving an arbitrary number. In addition, be wary of any company offering 30 day money back guarantees with ISBN purchases. ISBN numbers should NEVER be reassigned!

From the point of view of the international ISBN system there is no legal requirement to have an ISBN and it conveys no legal or copyright protection. However, both brick/mortar and online book sellers in the US require ISBN identification.

Publications which are reprinted should carry the new listed publisher’s ISBN, and ISBN of the previous edition on the verso of the title page. Example: ISBN 0-999-00123-1 (previously ISBN 1-59972-091-X)

Retailers and distributors require book products to carry a barcode which encodes the ISBN and pricing information. The Bookland EAN barcode is a standardized format which is accepted by trading partners worldwide. Our experience with barcodes enables us to provide our customers with symbols which comply with the GS1 guidelines and offer assistance with providing the appropriate format. Click here for an example. Please note, a digital barcode is not needed on ebooks.If you require only a Bookland EAN symbol, we encourage you to purchase ISBN Bookland barcode files from www.createbarcodes.com for only $10 each.

Amazon KDP is a Print-On-Demand (POD) service from Amazon. Their system requires users to either have an ISBN assigned in their company’s name or use an Amazon-assigned ISBN.  We have worked out an arrangement with Amazon KDP to assist their customers. Clients who purchase our Publisher Package can utilize their ISBN number on both the books which they sell directly as well as those which are sold via the Amazon marketplaces. Clients who have already purchased an ISBN through the Self-Publisher Package need to have Amazon assign an ISBN for those publications to be offered on their service. Note: ISBNs assigned from Amazon cannot be used to sell in any other marketplace, while the ISBNs assigned from our Publisher Package can be used across marketplaces. Since POD services, such as Amazon KDP, are geared for printing individual books as they are sold, it is not economically feasible to use them to print large quantities.

An imprint is a trade name, or brand name, used by a publisher to identify a line of books or a publishing arm within the organization. You may have multiple imprints. The imprints may be developed to market works to different buyer interests. Unlike a “division” an imprint does not represent an entity with a corporate life of its own. Essentially for ISBN identification, Publisher Name = Imprint Name.

Note for Amazon customers; Your Amazon Imprint Name should be the same name as your Publisher or Company Name to your ISBNs.

Amazon has their own internal identifier ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) and prefers our clients to NOT include the ISBN. During the publishing process, Amazon will assign a 10-digit ASIN that will identify your Kindle book on Amazon.com. We have worked out an arrangement with Amazon to allow our clients to use their ISBN for all other eBook marketplaces and they should not use their ISBN when setting up their title in the Amazon Kindle program.

Book data and ISBN assignment information will be done directly between trading partners. Amazon Advantage, Books A Million and Barnes & Noble each have their own processes for updating information about your published items.Amazon: Most self publishers use the Amazon Advantage program to sell their items on Amazon. Once an account is established, there is specific title information pages which enable publishers to upload book data and cover images.

Barnes & Noble: Please read the Publisher & Author Guidelines. There you will find instructions about e-mailing your information to specific B&N representatives.

In addition to barcoding and numbering assistance, our Publisher Services program offers assistance enabling publishers towards book production and online marketing. Our services include:

• E-book formatting and conversion
• Professional Cover Design
• Internal book formatting
• Discounted book printing – 3 day turnaround
• Promotional and marketing products
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Distribution
• Printed barcode labels

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number and must be unique for each title and format. Depending on the marketplace, the cost for a single ISBN can range from $29 to $129. An ISBN for an ebook only costs $29 each. Self-publisher can obtain ISBN and barcode starting at $55. For a complete rundown of pricing, please click here.