We all have phone numbers that are unique to us. Well, ISBNs are like phone numbers for books. ISBNs are special numbers used as a reference to find a particular book.
Each ISBN is unique and assigned to only one book. Books can have similar titles, but their ISBNs are different.
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What is the ISBN number—full form of ISBN?
ISBN’s full form is “International Standard Book Number.” ISBNs were previously 10-digit numbers. However, as of 2007, they now consist of 13 digits.
Name any genre, from your favorite crime thriller to romantic fiction; there is an ISBN for every book out there!
The 13 digits are used to identify and search for books in bookstores and libraries.
So, where is the book number located? They are often located on the back cover, next to or above the barcode, or on the title page inside the book. ISBNs are located in certain places on the book where it can be easily scanned.
ISBNs have 5 different components, separated by a hyphen or space.
For example, 978-81-237-5623-1 is an ISBN for the drama novel “XYZ.”
- Prefix (978): Prefixes are the first 3 digits of ISBNs, always starting with either 978 or 979.
- Registration Group (81): This digit indicates the region and country where the ISBN is registered.
For example, the group identifier for India often starts with 81. - Registrant Element (237): The registrant element informs us about the author of the book.
- Publication Element (5623): These 4 digits give book details, like titles, format, and number of editions.
- Check Digit (1): This number is mathematically calculated and helps ensure that the ISBN has been typed out properly.
Types of ISBNs:
While the majority of ebooks and audiobooks don’t require ISBNs, physical copies do require ISBNs. There are different ISBNs for different formats of books.
- Print ISBN: Printed books have ISBNs. Print media that is distributed physically requires an ISBN for identification.
- Ebook ISBN: Some ebook publishing platforms provide ISBNs for their ebooks.
- Audiobook ISBN: Audiobooks generally receive an ISBN if they are only available as digital audio. However, in the case of optical CDs, an ISBN is needed.
How do I get an ISBN for your book?
You can get your ISBN as an author. It is a simple process, usually granted by the government or a related agency. For instance, let’s discuss how ISBNs are issued in India.
In India, the Raja Rammohan Roy National Agency for ISBNs (RRNA) provides ISBNs. Based in the UK, it issues ISBNs to universities, authors, and governmental bodies in India.
If you are thinking about publishing your book in a traditional method.The publishing house will give you the ISBN. You don’t have to go through the process for it.
However, as a self-publisher, self-publishing platforms like Amazon KDP and Google Books will provide you with an ISBN.
A step-by-step guide to get your ISBN number:
- Registration: For registration, you can go to the ISBN agency’s website and register for a new account if you don’t have one.
- Login and apply: Now that you registered, log in to your account with your details. Next, go to the “Apply for New ISBN” section of the page to apply. Fill out the application form with your details. It includes details like author name, book title, publisher name, etc.
- Submit documents: During the application, you will need to submit some documents. Documents like ID proof, address proof, and book details. If you are self-publishing a book, you may need to submit a copy of your book’s manuscript.
- Approval: After you are done with the deed (submitting the form), sit back and relax. The form will be reviewed in a few days. It can take a few days or weeks to get approved. Once approved, you will receive an ISBN for your book. In India, you don’t need to pay for an ISBN. This can vary from country to country. In some countries one has to pay to get an ISBN.
For example,
In the United States, you have to pay an average amount of $125-$295 for an ISBN. Amazon KDP and Smashwords are some of the self-publishing platforms that provide free ISBNs to their authors.
ISBN and copyright are the same?
No, ISBN and copyright are two different things. Copyrights are your legal rights to your work.It means withholding your right to copy and distribute your original work. ISBNs are just a way to identify a book. The agency issuing ISBNs does not have any role or influence in copyrights.
Why do you need an ISBN?
As an author, you might think that you need an ISBN. Well, if you’re publishing your book physically, an ISBN is essential for the identification of the book.
- ISBNs are unique identifiers of your book in the global market. Books are nameless without them. Names can be confusing if two books have similar names, but ISBNs are unique to each book.
- ISBNs are essential to facilitate book sales and distribution. Self-publishing platforms rely on ISBNs for the distribution of books. Warehouses or bookshops will not distribute books if they’re not registered in their database.
- ISBNs are used to search and identify books listed in the database. It is helpful to locate a book when you have to search from a million piles of catalogs. ISBNs make work easy for authors and retailers.
- ISBN is a fast and efficient way to manage book sales and distribution. When books are available for larger distribution across platforms, ISBN ensures their smooth running in the market.
In conclusion, ISBNs are numerically managed structures to handle book databases. Irrespective of whether you want it or not, it has numerous benefits for the publishing industry, especially to authors. You can consider them like managing a large university where every student is identified with their ID card.
No matter if the books are distributed physically or digitally, ISBN helps self-publishing authors in book marketing. It makes your work dispersed from giant m2etadata for publishers and distributors.
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