ISBNs, Copyright, and Other Technicalities

by Moira Allen

One of the most common questions asked by first-time self-publishers is "how do I get an ISBN?" It's actually very simple; you can now order ISBNs online from the Bowker website.

Before you apply for ISBN registration, however, you need to establish your self-publishing business identity, including the name of your "publishing house" and the address and telephone number(s) you have chosen to use. These will be listed as your contact information in Books in Print.

ISBNs can be ordered in blocks of 10 (usually all a self-publisher needs to start) for $225. To apply, simply visit the Bowker website (http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/secureapp.asp). You can apply online or print out an application form to submit by mail. Processing time is 10 business days. You will receive a list of ISBNs in the mail.

You must apply a separate ISBN to each book that you publish, and also to every uniuqe edition or format of each book. For example, if you are offering the same title in a hardcover edition, as a paperback, and as an e-book, each of these editions would require a separate ISBN. (This enables a bookstore or customer to order the correct edition of the correct book.) If you revise a book, it will also need a new ISBN.

NOTE: As of January 1, 2007, new ISBN numbers are 13 digits long, instead of 10 digits. The bar codes have not changed. This does not mean that if you have already purchased a block of ISBNs, you can no longer use them; it simply means that the next time you order ISBNs, you will have to use the longer number. The new 13-digit blocks will be prefaced with 979 instead of the current 978. For more information, see:

• http://www.isbn-13.info/index.html
  
• http://www.bisg.org/docs/BISG_Special_Session_09-23-04.pdf
  
• http://www.tux.org/~milgram/bookland

Advance Book Information Form

After you've received your ISBNs, you must then inform Bowker of your new title(s). Otherwise, your book won't be listed in Books in Print and other references -- which means that it won't be listed on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com, or be orderable through bookstores.

This is accomplished by filing an "Advance Book Information" form (ABI), which you then submit to Bowker. In the past, Bowker sent publishers copies of the form when sending out ISBNs, and this may still be the case. You can also register your book information online at the BowkerLink Publisher Access System (http://www.bowkerlink.com). You'll have to register for a password to use the system. You can also use this site to change information about your books or publishing company (e.g., to change your address).

Bookland EAN/UPC Code

Once you have an ISBN, you must obtain a Bookland EAN (which is simply a UPC barcode) for the book. Without this barcode, your book can't be sold through bookstores (online or off) or by distributors. You can obtain the barcode in several different formats: As film that can be "stripped" directly into your book cover art, as an electronic file that can be incorporated into your electronic art, or as a hardcopy that you can paste onto artwork. Barcodes usually cost less than $100. For a list of companies that provide barcodes, visit http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/barcode.asp.

Copyright Registration

You do not need to register your copyright before you publish your book. In fact, you shouldn't. (All you need to do is note "Copyright [year] © Your Name" on the copyright page.) Instead, you'll need to register it after the book is published, and provide two copies of the published book with your registration. If your book is electronic, you'll need to provide it on disk (two separate disks) for filing with the Library of Congress; if it is print, send two copies of the final print edition. Registration costs $40, and you can download the forms directly from the copyright website (http://www.loc.gov/copyright/reg.html).

Cataloging-in-Publication Program (CIP)

It's a good idea to obtain a "Cataloging in Publication" (CIP) number for your book, as this makes it possible for libraries to add it to their catalogs. The CIP information is that block of print you'll find on the copyright page of most books under the heading, "Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data". (It looks like an entry on a library card-catalog card.) A CIP number is particularly important for a nonfiction book that is likely to be used as a library reference; libraries are much more likely to buy this type of book from a self-publisher than a work of fiction or autobiography.

For details on obtaining the CIP, go to the Library of Congress website at (URL). If you read the CIP FAQ, you'll discover that the Library of Congress is NOT enthusiastic about providing CIP numbers for self-published books (and will not provide them for POD books). That does not mean, however, that you can't obtain one. Simply apply anyway, and don't indicate on your form that your book is "self-published." Instead, do your best to convey the impression that you are a small press -- someone who might publish books by other authors as well as your own. (Who knows, it might prove true!)

Note that many publishing services and subsidy publishers will offer to obtain some or all of these numbers for you -- at a substantial cost. While it may seem intimidating to fill out so many different forms, they're really not that difficult to deal with -- and you can save hundreds of dollars by handling these issues yourself rather than farming them out to someone else!