1. History and Development of ISBN:
– The Standard Book Number (SBN) was a nine-digit code system used for book identification.
– The ISBN format was conceptualized in 1967 in the UK by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay.
– The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the ISO and published in 1970.
– The UK transitioned from the SBN code to the ISBN in 1974.
– The International ISBN Agency serves as the global registration authority for ISBNs.
2. ISBN Structure and Issuing Process:
– Each edition and variation of a publication is assigned a unique ISBN.
– ISBNs are 13 digits long if assigned after 2007 and 10 digits long if assigned before.
– ISBN issuance is country-specific and managed by the respective ISBN registration agency.
– ISBNs consist of parts like prefix, registration group, registrant, publication, and check digit.
– ISBN registration agencies customize allocations based on publishing profiles.
3. ISBN Statistics and Global Register of Publishers:
– The US had 3.9 million registered ISBNs in 2020, the highest globally.
– Top users of ISBNs in 2020 included the Republic of Korea, Germany, China, the UK, and Indonesia.
– The International ISBN Agency maintains the Global Register of Publishers with over one million ISBN prefixes and publishers.
– Publishers receive blocks of ISBNs, with larger blocks allocated based on anticipated needs.
– ISBN-13 format has been in use since 2007 and is compatible with Bookland European Article Numbers.
4. ISBN Check Digits and Calculation:
– ISBN-10 check digits must range from 0 to 10 and be a multiple of 11.
– ISBN-13 check digits are calculated differently from ISBN-10, ensuring compatibility with EAN barcodes.
– Calculation methods involve multiplying digits by specific weights and using modular arithmetic.
– Check digit systems help detect errors like altered or transposed digits.
– Software implementations can streamline check digit calculations for efficiency.
5. ISBN Agencies and Usage Errors:
– ISBN agencies are country-specific and responsible for assigning ISBNs to publishers and authors.
– Varying policies on ISBN check digit verification can lead to identification issues.
– Instances of multiple books sharing the same ISBN can cause confusion for libraries and booksellers.
– Invalid ISBNs may be published, complicating book identification processes.
– ISBN mismatches between book titles and ISBNs can present challenges for accurate book identification.
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a numeric commercial book identifier that is intended to be unique. Publishers purchase or receive ISBNs from an affiliate of the International ISBN Agency.
 A 13-digit ISBN, 978-3-16-148410-0, as represented by an EAN-13 bar code | |
| Acronym | ISBN |
|---|---|
| Organisation | International ISBN Agency |
| Introduced | 1970 |
| No. of digits | 13 (formerly 10) |
| Check digit | Weighted sum |
| Example | 978-3-16-148410-0 |
| Website | isbn-international |
An ISBN is assigned to each separate edition and variation (except reprintings) of a publication. For example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book must each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is ten digits long if assigned before 2007, and thirteen digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007. The method of assigning an ISBN is nation-specific and varies between countries, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country.
The initial ISBN identification format was devised in 1967, based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) created in 1966. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO 2108 (the 9-digit SBN code can be converted to a 10-digit ISBN by prefixing it with a zero).
Privately published books sometimes appear without an ISBN. The International ISBN Agency sometimes assigns such books ISBNs on its own initiative.
Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN), identifies periodical publications such as magazines and newspapers. The International Standard Music Number (ISMN) covers musical scores.
