What does ISBN stand for?
Asked by: Mr. Eldon Kohler | Last update: July 3, 2025Score: 4.4/5 (18 votes)
ISBN is an acronym that stands for International Standard Book Number. This is a 13 or 10 digit number assigned to all books and book-like publications that are published internationally.
What does the ISBN number tell you?
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally. The ISBN is intended for a monographic publication: text that stands on its own as a product, whether printed, audio or electronic.
What is the purpose of an ISBN?
What is an ISBN used for? An ISBN is essentially a product identifier used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, internet retailers and other supply chain participants for ordering, listing, sales records and stock control purposes. The ISBN identifies the registrant as well as the specific title, edition and format.
What does 978 mean in an ISBN?
Benefits of the new ISBN-13 system
The prefixes 978 and 979 were assigned to the fictitious country of "Bookland" for use by the publishing industry so that barcodes for books would conform to those used on other products.
Do all books have ISBN?
ISBNs are not necessary to sell ebooks; none of the top online retailers require them. Printed books, however, cannot be sold without an ISBN. Remember that each version of your book would need a separate ISBN, and purchasing a block of 10 would be more cost-effective than purchasing one.
Everything Authors Need to Know About ISBNs
What does it mean if a book doesn't have an ISBN?
Books with No ISBN
That means there's no unique ID for these books, which can make it a bit tougher to catalog and find them.
Can two books have the same ISBN number?
While the primary function of an ISBN is to uniquely identify a book edition, there are instances where the same ISBN can be used for multiple editions. This practice is more common in certain types of publications and under specific circumstances.
What are the first 3 digits of an ISBN?
The prefix element is 3 digits long, making the ISBN a universal product code called an EAN. The registration group identifies the country or region the book is published. The registrant element identifies the publisher. The publication element identifies the style of the publication.
What is the difference between DOI and ISBN?
ISBNs are used to identify each unique publication whether in the form of a physical book or related materials such as eBooks, software, mixed media etc. The DOI® System offers a persistent actionable identifier for use on digital networks. A “DOI name” refers to the syntax string within the “DOI System”.
Do ISBN numbers expire?
You're getting your ISBNs at only $29.50 each. ISBNs never expire; use them as needed.
How to tell if a book is a first edition?
Identifying the first edition of a book
The publisher may actually state the words 'first edition' or 'first printing' on the copyright page. Another common method of identification is the number line – that's a line of numbers on the copyright page. Usually, if a one is present in the line then it's a first edition.
Who owns the ISBN?
The ISBNs are considered property of the publishing company and all of the ISBNs can be transferred to the new owners, including a family member.
What is the purpose of the ISBN?
According to the US ISBN Agency, "The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors." (1).
What are the benefits of having your own ISBN?
By obtaining an ISBN you will be able to take the necessary steps to ensure that your book is widely known and to maximise its sales potential. If you are a publisher or bookseller it is in your interest to use ISBN as it is likely to help you to sell books.
Is ISBN unique for every book?
Every book published has a unique number assigned to it – an International Standard Book Number (ISBN).
What does a 979 ISBN mean?
Therefore U.S. ISBN Agency started assigning ISBNs with the 979 prefix in 2020. The major difference between 978 and 979 ISBNs is that the ones with the 979 prefix do not have a corresponding 10-digit ISBN. This means that a book with a 979 prefix can only be identified by its 13-digit ISBN.
Who assigns ISBN numbers?
The United States ISBN Agency is the only source authorized to assign ISBNs to publishers supplying an address in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico and its database establishes the publisher of record associated with each prefix.
Does an ISBN number tell you the edition?
An international standard book number (ISBN) is a ten or thirteen digit number used to determine the edition or variation of a book. It's usually located on the cover or the copyright page. You can also check above the barcode. Search for the ISBN online or compare it to the one on the copyright page.
Is it illegal to sell a book without an ISBN?
you are not required to have an ISBN. However, if you wish to have any other type of distribution through online retailers, distributors or other catalogs, an ISBN is required.
Do I need to copyright my book?
In short, it's recommended to register your copyright in case you run into any infringement issues in the future. It's cheap and relatively easy to do so.
Can I get an ISBN for free?
IngramSpark offers free ISBNs for U.S. self-publishers. You can access this in your IngramSpark account during the title setup process. While free ISBNs are only available in the U.S. for now, we're working around the clock to make free ISBNs available to our global community.
Do I need a different ISBN for Amazon and Barnes and Noble?
If you get an ISBN from Amazon, then go to Barnes & Noble to publish your book, you will need a different ISBN. The same is true of the other publishers. You cannot take a Draft2Digital ISBN to Amazon and publish with it and vice versa.
What is Bowker?
Bowker provides publishing services for many business types. From chain, to independent and college retail bookstores, to online retailers, distributors and consultants for other businesses, Bowker offers publishing solutions. Get started with Data Licensing, Publishing Stats, Books In Print and more, today.
Does a reprint get a new ISBN?
Reprints, New Editions, and Different Formats
If your book is reprinted without any changes, you do not need a new ISBN. However, if there are significant changes such as a revised edition or translation, you must get a new ISBN for that edition.