Q: I’ve heard of a has-been, but what is an ISBN?
A: Let’s not get political here. ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It is a unique code that identifies a book. It has either 10 or 13 digits (depending on when it was issued) and comes with a barcode, which is a graphical representation of it. The barcode might also have some other information embedded in it, like the price and the currency in which it is priced. There is a different ISBN for each edition of the book or other medium (softcover, hardcover, e-book, audio, online version, etc.). The ISBN helps the product flow through the publishing industry.
Q: If ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, why is it called an ISBN Number? Isn’t that redundant?
A: Yes, it is redundant. And so is “nape of the neck” if you are looking for something to tell the bus driver on the way home tonight.
Q: What does nape mean?
A: Back of the neck.
Where to Buy
Q: Where can I get an ISBN and a barcode and do I absolutely need one?
A: If you are putting the finishing touches on a book, R.R. Bowker, a privately held company, issues ISBNs. Go to www.myidentifiers.com. You need an ISBN if you plan to sell your book in bookstores. If you only plan to sell it online or at speaking engagements in the back of the room, you don’t need a bar code. However, If you don’t have a barcode, you book will look like it isn’t mainstream.
Q: How much does an ISBN cost?
A: $125.
Q: Why should I buy one?
A: It gets your book listed in Bowker’s Books in Print, used by the major search engines, bookstores and libraries.
Q: What’s the difference between ISBN 10 and 13?
A: The 13 digit kind means it was issued after January 1, 2007. The 10 digit kind means it was issued before 2007. The 10 digits are broken down into four parts and the longer one is broken down into five parts.
Q: Can I buy them in quantity?
A: Yes, and the more you buy, the less each one costs. You can buy them in blocks of 10 ($250), 100 ($575) and 1000 ($1000). It is recommended that you select the number of codes you’ll need over five years because you can maintain one publisher prefix. You don’t have to use the first one in the series. The “0” at the end will tip off those in the industry that this is a first book.
Q: So, you’re telling me I need to pay all that money just for a number?
A: Yep.
Q: Are they just a series of random numbers – or is there some meaning to them?
A: The five parts of a 13-digit ISBN are:
- Prefixed by 978
- Group or country identifier
- Publisher identifier
- Title identifier
- Check digit, which validates the ISBN
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How About Revisions?
Q: If I revise the book, do I need to get a new ISBN?
A: Only if it is changed substantially. If you just correct a few typographical errors, you don’t have to get a new number. This is simply be considered a reprint. A new edition contains new material, is a major revision, or the addition of completely new elements. You don’t even need a new one if you change the cover, since you haven’t drastically changed the content.
Q: Where do ISBNs go on a book?
A: An ISBN is printed on the copyright page of the book as well as at the bottom of the back cover or jacket, above or below the bar code.
Q: What else should I know about ISBNs?
A: An ISBN also identifies the product’s physical properties, such as trim size, page count and binding type. Do you have any other questions?
Q: What do women want?
A: Who do I look like, the Shell Answer Man?
Q: Who is the Shell Answer Man?
A: Google it.
Q: Can you provide me a link?
Q: Where did the Shell Answer Man get all his answers – since Google wasn’t around in the 70s?
A: From the bus driver.
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About the Author
Frank Felsburg helps people communicate their value through writing, speaking and marketing.
His best answer for what women want can be found in his book Men Really DO Listen: How Men Listen Differently Than Women. Buy it here.
