ISBN - International Standard Book Number

By: Diane Shired, CTM

Meaning of ISBN - "International Standard Book Number", is a commercial identifier for books. The ISBN is 10 or 13 digits long and it uniquely identifies internationally published books and book-like products. The number consists of 4 to 5 parts:

1. If a 13 digits ISBN, the number has a 978 or 979 prefix EAN (European Article Number) that ensures no two starts the same
2. Country or Language Code (0, 1 =English; 2 = French; and so on. Can be up to 5 digits)
3. Publisher (assigned by the agency)
4. Item Number
5. Check Digit (a single digit computed from other digits) if 10 it’s replaced by “X”

There are many ISBN agencies worldwide; each agent has the exclusive right to assign ISBNs to publishers in their area/territory. For instances, the United States agency is the only one authorized to assign ISBNs to publishers within the U.S., Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and all its territories. Once the agency assigns an ISBN to a publisher, then that publisher can assigned the number to their publications. The publisher cannot re-assign, re-sell, transfer or split their assigned numbers with other publishers.

The ISBN system was established in 1996 in the United Kingdom by W.H. Smith. It was originally SBN (Standard Book Numbering) that was used until the mid-seventies. However, the International Standard (ISO) 2108, ISBN was introduced in 1970.

Other Related Definitions:

“The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a clear identification number for books. ISBN applies to any monographic publication in printed, non-printed and mixed media formats. Ephemeral material is excluded, as well as unchanged impressions or unchanged reprints of the same title in the same format by the same publisher. The ISBN system is administered on an international, national and publisher level. It is a structured number, consisting of four meaningful groups of numbers, and is printed in easily legible type on the item itself. It is assigned to every title, or edition of a title, by each publisher. Publishers participating in the ISBN system contribute to practical ISBN uses in the publishing sector, distribution centres, bookshops and libraries.

An international standard, ISO 2108:2005: Information and documentation - International Standard Book Numbering, specifies the ISBN. The traditional 10-digit ISBN will become a 13-digit number, by including the three-character GS1 (Global Standards 1) product code for books, and the recalculation of the check digit. Once the international standard is accepted, it will also become a South African national standard, administered by the Standards South Africa (StanSA), SABS. ” [ RPU Technology , By John Merchant]

“In 1965, W. H. Smith (the largest single book retailer in Great Britain) announced its plans to move to a computerized warehouse in 1967 and wanted a standard numbering system for books it carried. They hired consultants to work on behalf of their interest, the British Publishers Association's Distribution and Methods Committee and other experts in the U.K. book trade. They devised the Standard Book Numbering (SBN) system in 1966 and it was implemented in 1967.

At the same time, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee on Documentation (TC 46) set up a working party to investigate the possibility of adapting the British SBN for international use. A meeting was held in London in 1968 with representatives from Denmark, France, Germany, Eire, the Netherlands, Norway, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and an observer from UNESCO. Other countries contributed written suggestions and expressions of interest. A report of the meeting was circulated to all ISO member countries. Comments on this report and subsequent proposals were considered at meetings of the working party held in Berlin and Stockholm in 1969. As a result of the thinking at all of these meetings, the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) was approved as an ISO standard in 1970, and became ISO 2108.

That original standard has been revised as book and book-like content appeared in new forms of media, but the basic structure of the ISBN as defined in that standard has not changed and is in use today in almost 150 countries.” [ISBN Agency, By R R Bowker ]

Related Links:

isbn san ismn - U.S. ISBN Agency (International Standard Book Number)
ISBN - The International ISBN Agency
Get Ready for the New ISBN! -

Technical Resources:

Frequently Asked Questions about the new ISBN standard
Issuing ISBN and ISSN

Products and Solutions:

Publisher Services - By Bar Code Graphics
ISBN Users' Manual

Blogs, News, Feeds, Discussion Lists:

Ask Dave Taylor: Tech and Business
LS 500 Articles Summaries for Blog 02
LiveJournal
PS Publishing Blog

Books About:

Print-on-Demand Book Publishing: A New Approach To Printing And Marketing Books For Publishers And Self-Publishing Authors - by Morris Rosenthal
The Data Model Resource Book, Vol. 1: A Library of Universal Data Models for All Enterprises - by Len Silverston, Len Silverston
Publishers' International [ISBN] Directory, 6th (1974) Edition - by Michael Zils

See Also:

Other ISBN Related Resources

 

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