How to Get an ISBN: A Step-by-Step Guide for Authors
An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. It’s essentially a product barcode for books, helping publishers, booksellers, libraries, and readers locate and identify a specific edition of a book. If you’re an author preparing to publish your work, understanding how to obtain an ISBN is crucial. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process, step-by-step, and provide essential information to help you navigate the world of ISBNs.
## Why Do You Need an ISBN?
Before diving into the process of obtaining an ISBN, let’s understand why it’s important in the first place. While not legally required in many countries, an ISBN offers several significant benefits:
* **Identification:** It uniquely identifies your book, making it easily distinguishable from other books with similar titles.
* **Distribution:** ISBNs are essential for selling your book through bookstores, online retailers (like Amazon and Barnes & Noble), and libraries. Many retailers require an ISBN to list your book in their catalogs.
* **Tracking Sales:** ISBNs help track sales and inventory, allowing publishers and authors to monitor the performance of their books.
* **Library Cataloging:** Libraries use ISBNs to catalog books, making them easily accessible to readers.
* **Metadata Management:** ISBNs are linked to metadata, which includes information about your book such as the title, author, publisher, publication date, and physical dimensions. This metadata helps potential readers discover your book.
* **Professionalism:** Having an ISBN lends credibility to your book and presents it as a professional product.
## Understanding ISBN Basics
Before you begin the application process, it’s important to understand a few key concepts about ISBNs:
* **ISBN-13:** The current standard ISBN is a 13-digit number, often displayed with hyphens separating the groups of digits (e.g., 978-0-321-76572-3).
* **Groups:** The 13 digits are divided into five groups:
* **Prefix Element:** Currently, this is always 978 or 979. It identifies the book as part of the Bookland EAN numbering system.
* **Registration Group Identifier:** This identifies the country, geographical region, or language area participating in the ISBN system. Examples include 0 or 1 for English-speaking countries, 2 for French-speaking countries, and 3 for German-speaking countries.
* **Registrant Element:** This identifies the specific publisher. Larger publishers have shorter registrant elements, allowing them to assign more ISBNs. Smaller publishers and self-publishers will have longer registrant elements.
* **Publication Element:** This identifies the specific edition of the book.
* **Check Digit:** This is a single digit calculated using a specific formula based on the other 12 digits. It ensures the ISBN is valid.
* **One ISBN Per Edition:** Each edition of your book requires a separate ISBN. This includes different formats (e.g., paperback, hardcover, ebook), revisions, and translations.
* **Publisher Responsibility:** The publisher is responsible for assigning ISBNs. If you are self-publishing, you are considered the publisher.
* **Metadata is Key**: Having a valid ISBN is just the first step. Ensuring your book’s metadata is accurate, complete, and consistent across platforms is crucial for discoverability. This includes title, subtitle, author name(s), contributors, description, keywords, categories, publication date, price, and more.
## Step-by-Step Guide to Getting an ISBN
Now, let’s walk through the process of obtaining an ISBN.
**Step 1: Determine if You Need an ISBN**
Not all publications require an ISBN. Items that typically *do not* need an ISBN include:
* Articles in journals or newspapers
* Advertising material
* Calendars
* Greeting cards
* Music scores (unless sold separately)
* Websites and blogs
Items that *do* typically need an ISBN include:
* Books (both print and ebooks)
* Audiobooks
* Educational videos or DVDs
* Braille books
* Microform publications
* Software (educational)
If your publication falls into a category that requires an ISBN, proceed to the next step.
**Step 2: Decide Where to Obtain Your ISBN**
There are two main options for obtaining an ISBN:
* **Purchase from the Official ISBN Agency:** In most countries, there is an official ISBN agency authorized to sell ISBNs. In the United States, this is Bowker. Buying directly from the official agency ensures that you are listed as the publisher of record. This is the recommended option for authors who want to retain full control over their publishing identity.
* **Obtain an ISBN Through a Self-Publishing Platform:** Many self-publishing platforms, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP), IngramSpark, and others, offer ISBNs as part of their publishing packages. These ISBNs are typically cheaper (or even free), but the platform will be listed as the publisher of record, not you. This means that the platform’s name will appear in bibliographic databases and on your book’s copyright page as the publisher. This is a viable option if you’re less concerned about being listed as the publisher and want to save money. However, it can limit your flexibility in terms of distribution and control.
**Choosing between these options requires careful consideration:**
* **Cost:** Self-publishing platform ISBNs are often free or cheaper.
* **Control:** Buying your own ISBN gives you more control over your publishing identity and metadata.
* **Distribution:** If you plan to distribute your book widely through various channels, buying your own ISBN is generally recommended.
* **Publisher of Record:** Consider who you want to be listed as the publisher of record.
**Step 3: If Purchasing from the Official ISBN Agency (Bowker in the US)**
If you’ve decided to purchase your ISBN directly, follow these steps (specific to Bowker in the US, but similar processes exist for other national ISBN agencies):
1. **Visit the Bowker Website:** Go to the Bowker website ([invalid URL removed]).
2. **Create an Account:** If you don’t already have one, create an account. You’ll need to provide your email address, create a password, and provide basic information.
3. **Choose an ISBN Package:** Bowker offers different packages of ISBNs. You can purchase a single ISBN, a block of 10 ISBNs, a block of 100 ISBNs, or even larger blocks. Consider how many books you plan to publish. If you only plan to publish one book, a single ISBN is sufficient. If you plan to publish multiple editions or future books, a block of 10 might be a more cost-effective option.
4. **Add to Cart and Checkout:** Select the package you want and add it to your cart. Proceed to checkout.
5. **Provide Payment Information:** Enter your payment information and complete the purchase.
6. **Access Your ISBNs:** Once your purchase is complete, you’ll be able to access your ISBNs through your Bowker account. You’ll typically receive a certificate of ownership for each ISBN.
7. **Assign Your ISBN:** For each ISBN you purchase, you will be prompted to assign it to a specific book title.
**Step 4: If Obtaining an ISBN Through a Self-Publishing Platform**
If you’ve decided to obtain an ISBN through a self-publishing platform, the process is generally simpler. Here’s an overview using Amazon KDP as an example:
1. **Create an Account:** If you don’t already have one, create an account on the self-publishing platform (e.g., Amazon KDP).
2. **Start a New Book Project:** Begin the process of creating a new book project on the platform.
3. **ISBN Option:** During the book setup process, you’ll be asked about the ISBN. The platform will typically offer you the option to use their free ISBN or provide your own ISBN if you’ve already purchased one.
4. **Select the Platform’s ISBN:** Choose the option to use the platform’s ISBN. The platform will then assign an ISBN to your book.
5. **Complete the Book Setup:** Continue completing the book setup process, providing all the required information about your book (title, author, description, etc.).
6. **Publish Your Book:** Once you’ve completed the setup, you can publish your book. The ISBN will be automatically associated with your book on the platform.
The process is similar for other self-publishing platforms like IngramSpark, Draft2Digital, and others. The key is to look for the ISBN option during the book setup process.
**Step 5: Record and Manage Your ISBNs**
Regardless of where you obtain your ISBNs, it’s crucial to keep a record of them and the books they are assigned to. This will help you avoid accidentally reusing an ISBN for a different edition of your book, which can cause confusion and errors in bibliographic databases. Create a simple spreadsheet or document to track the following information for each ISBN:
* **ISBN:** The full 13-digit ISBN.
* **Title:** The title of the book.
* **Author:** The author of the book.
* **Edition:** The edition of the book (e.g., first edition, revised edition).
* **Format:** The format of the book (e.g., paperback, hardcover, ebook).
* **Publication Date:** The date the book was published.
* **Publisher:** The publisher of record.
* **Notes:** Any other relevant information.
**Step 6: Displaying Your ISBN**
Your ISBN should be displayed in a prominent location in your book. Here’s how to display it correctly:
* **Print Books:** The ISBN should appear on the copyright page, typically on the verso (back) of the title page. It should also appear on the back cover, usually in the lower right corner, as part of the barcode.
* **Ebooks:** The ISBN should appear on the copyright page, usually at the beginning or end of the book. It can also be included in the ebook’s metadata.
When displaying the ISBN, include the letters “ISBN” before the number (e.g., ISBN 978-0-321-76572-3). You can include hyphens to separate the groups of digits, but it’s not strictly required.
**Step 7: Update Metadata with your ISBN**
Once you have your ISBN, it’s critical to update your book’s metadata with the number. This includes all the information associated with your book, such as the title, author, description, keywords, publication date, and price. Ensure that the ISBN is accurately entered in all relevant databases, including:
* **Bowker’s Books In Print:** If you purchased your ISBN from Bowker, update your book’s listing in Books In Print.
* **Self-Publishing Platform Dashboards:** If you published through a self-publishing platform, update your book’s metadata on the platform’s dashboard.
* **Online Retailer Databases:** Ensure that your ISBN is correctly associated with your book on online retailer websites like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and others.
* **Library Catalogs:** Encourage libraries to catalog your book using the ISBN.
Accurate metadata is essential for discoverability. It helps potential readers find your book when they search online or in library catalogs.
## Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are some common mistakes to avoid when dealing with ISBNs:
* **Reusing an ISBN:** Never reuse an ISBN for a different edition of your book. Each edition requires its own unique ISBN.
* **Using the Wrong ISBN:** Double-check that you are using the correct ISBN for the specific edition and format of your book.
* **Incorrectly Displaying the ISBN:** Display the ISBN correctly in your book and in all relevant databases.
* **Failing to Update Metadata:** Ensure that your book’s metadata is accurate and up-to-date, including the ISBN.
* **Not Purchasing Enough ISBNs:** If you plan to publish multiple books or editions, consider purchasing a block of ISBNs to save money.
* **Delaying ISBN Acquisition:** Obtain your ISBN well in advance of your publication date to avoid delays in the publishing process.
## ISBNs for Ebooks
It’s important to address the specific case of ISBNs for ebooks.
* **Ebook Formats:** If you are publishing your ebook in multiple formats (e.g., EPUB, MOBI, PDF), each format *should* technically have its own ISBN. However, this is not always strictly enforced, and many authors use a single ISBN for all ebook formats.
* **Self-Publishing Platforms and Ebooks:** When publishing ebooks through self-publishing platforms, you’ll typically be given the option to use the platform’s free ISBN or provide your own. As with print books, using the platform’s ISBN means they will be listed as the publisher of record.
* **Ebook Retailers:** Ebook retailers like Amazon often assign their own ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number) to ebooks. This is separate from the ISBN and is used for internal tracking purposes within the Amazon ecosystem.
While it’s technically best practice to have a separate ISBN for each ebook format, many self-published authors choose to use a single ISBN for all formats to simplify the process and reduce costs. The decision depends on your specific needs and goals.
## ISBN Alternatives
While the ISBN is the most widely recognized and used book identifier, there are some alternatives:
* **ASIN (Amazon Standard Identification Number):** As mentioned earlier, Amazon assigns ASINs to books sold on its platform. This is primarily for internal tracking purposes within Amazon.
* **DOI (Digital Object Identifier):** DOIs are commonly used for academic journals, research papers, and other digital content. While less common for books, they can be used to uniquely identify digital publications.
* **ISTC (International Standard Text Code):** The ISTC is a unique identifier for textual works, such as books, articles, and poems. It identifies the *content* of the work, regardless of the format or edition. Unlike the ISBN, which identifies a specific edition of a book, the ISTC identifies the underlying textual work.
These alternatives are not direct replacements for the ISBN, but they can be used in conjunction with the ISBN or in situations where an ISBN is not required.
## Conclusion
Obtaining an ISBN is a crucial step in the publishing process for many authors. It provides a unique identifier for your book, facilitates distribution, helps track sales, and lends credibility to your work. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can navigate the ISBN process with confidence and ensure that your book is properly identified and discoverable in the marketplace. Remember to choose the option that best suits your needs, whether it’s purchasing an ISBN from the official agency or obtaining one through a self-publishing platform. And always keep accurate records of your ISBNs and update your book’s metadata to maximize its discoverability.
By understanding the importance of ISBNs and following these steps, you’ll be well-equipped to publish your book successfully and reach a wider audience.