ISBN Acquisition

[JustinB]

Does anyone know how to go about getting an ISBN? I remember seeing something about this a while back, but I'm having trouble finding it...

[Eero Tuovinen]

Depends on where you're publishing. In Finland, for example, in good socialist tradition the distribution of ISBN numbers is a responsibility of the state as manifested in the University of Helsinki and the national library therein. So you just basically send them an e-mail telling them about your publishing plans, and they'll assign you with either a block or individual ISBN numbers according to need. Later you send them a copy of the book for their records.

In US, on the other hand, the same responsibilities are assigned to a corporation, the name of which escapes me at the moment. Bowker or something like that? As I understand it, you'll just contact said corporation, pay them a sum of money, and they assign you with a block of ISBN numbers. They don't sell single numbers, I understand, so if you only want one you have to buy it from the second-hand market. Which practice is frowned upon, as it tends to mess up the ISBN registry when people don't update it accordingly.

In theory you'll have to get your ISBN numbers from the country where you're publishing. Of course the numbers themselves are internationally valid. So if I ever publish in English, I'll probably still do the publishing "in Finland", even if most of the stock would be sold overseas.

[xenopulse]

Eero is right. Bowker handles these things in the U.S., and the application can be found at www.isbn.org. You can only buy them in bulk. $275 for 10, last time I checked.

Note that you only need an ISBN if you're going through the traditional three-tier system. If you sell your books yourself, use a POD (like lulu.com), or sell via an independent fulfillment place (like IPR, who then also sells to physical game stores), you don't need an ISBN.

[JustinB]

Thanks! The only reason I'm looking into this is that Barnes and Noble has expressed limited interest in carrying the game, but can't if there's no ISBN.

[Pelgrane]

Eero is right. Bowker handles these things in the U.S., and the application can be found at www.isbn.org. You can only buy them in bulk. $275 for 10, last time I checked.

Note that you only need an ISBN if you're going through the traditional three-tier system. If you sell your books yourself, use a POD (like lulu.com), or sell via an independent fulfillment place (like IPR, who then also sells to physical game stores), you don't need an ISBN.

If your books end up in a store, it's best to have an ISBN, and that includes sales via IPR. An ISBN also enables stores to find out how to get hold of your book using their standard searches.

[TwoCrows]

Note that you only need an ISBN if you're going through the traditional three-tier system. If you sell your books yourself, use a POD (like lulu.com), or sell via an independent fulfillment place (like IPR, who then also sells to physical game stores), you don't need an ISBN.

What I am about to share, and opine upon does NOT constitute legal advice. For that you need your own Lawyer specializing in Intellectual Property Law.

ISBNs are a bit more complicated than you suggest, Christian. Yes, places like Amazon, B&N, and even perhaps some mom & pop retailers won't carry you if you don't have an ISBN on your book, CD, DVD (or perhaps even PDF believe it or not), as Justin points out, but ISBNs are not exactly the mark of the beast (traditional three-tier system).

Simply printing up a book with the common copyright claims, "copyright bob 2007, all rights reserved...no part of this book may be reproduced by any means..." in the colophon is merely a public declaration, and NOT an actual registered copyright. The reason the word "ALL" is used when making claims to reserving our rights is because there exists far many more rights than just copyrights. Regional distribution, language translation, merchandizing, and publishing rights are among them.

Simply printing up a book with your press label on it is also only a public claim of being its publisher, and NOT an actual record of publication, or perhaps even a sown up claim to publishing, or distribution rights. Even if it might be tough for someone else to distribute your work without your compliance, being the publisher of record carries some weight in another "traditional" institution, that being the Legal System...gods would that none of us ever find ourselves there for doing what we love.

It is my least humble opinion that in all matters of business, and most especially small businesses of passion, one should get the facts for themselves, and NEVER trust the advice of anyone they aren't paying for that advice, or whom they cannot later sue if that advice brings their dreams, or the fuel for those dreams (finances, budget, infrastructure, stock, etc.), to ruin.

Yes, Bowker is the broker of ISBNs here in the USA. It may well behoove everyone with any questions to research ISBNs, Record of Publication, and other publishing, and IP topics for themselves.

Bowker's Website, and FAQ are as good a place as any to start.

Regards, Brad
p.s. - Eero, the socialist tradition of ISBN assignment seems better to me.

[lighthouse]

Depends on where you're publishing. In Finland, for example, in good socialist tradition the distribution of ISBN numbers is a responsibility of the state.

I think this has much more to do with the classic continental system than with socialism.

[Eero Tuovinen]

And I think that perhaps Eero was joking about the wide-spread perception of Finland as a socialist democracy

[lighthouse]

And I think that perhaps Eero was joking about the wide-spread perception of Finland as a socialist democracy

I think a guy called Molotov made a similar mistake...