Re: ISBN #

From: "Lee Passey" 
> On Tue, January 18, 2011 9:43 am, Tommy wrote:
> 
>> Are ISBN#'s the same for e-books as they are for printed publications
>> and do you need to get two different numbers to publish in both
>> printed and electronic format?
> 
> According to the International ISBN Agency, yes (see,
> http://isbn-international.org/faqs/view/7#q_2). In fact, not only do they want
> you to have separate ISBNs for print and digital, they want you to have
> different ISBNs for each digital format you produce (ePub, PDF, MobiPocket,
> Nook, Lit, etc.).
> 
> Of course, there is nothing magical about ISBNs, and these rules are
> frequently violated. Baen Books uses the same ISBN for each title whether in
> paperback or any of their digital formats. There are tons of e-books on
> Amazon.com that don't have ISBNs and are tracked instead by ASIN. Most book
> club print editions do not have ISBNs.
> 
> There is no requirement that you get an ISBN to publish /any/ book; 
<snip>
With print books it makes sense to get it at the outset (if you get
> one at all) because you can't go back and add it later to a print run of
> 10,000 books. But e-books are immediately and infinitely malleable. When
> someone comes to you and says, "I'm sorry, we can't sell this for you until
> you get an ISBN," then go get an ISBN and slap it on. Until then, I wouldn't
> bother.
> 

Hi, Lee. Nice too see a post from you.

Lee is generally right in this. I would just add that the real choice on ISBN [they are 13-digit now] rests on marketing decisions. The object is to make is easy for retailers in particular, librarians and so on to find the publisher or distributor. This can be of great value in POD and small print publishing. As a rule, unless you are clear about your need for it, it is unlikely to be an important feature for you.

Ebooks have a long way to go, and I am not certain that a numbering location system will not, at some point, be needed. Before ISBNs, which are not that old, there was no easy location system. And trying to hunt down a book that has material you need from before that period can be very difficult if the publisher has long gone, or you do not have that information.

With well over a million books of all sorts published last year WITH ISBNs, and countless others without, there is going to be a problem hunting books down! But that won't be addressed for some years yet, and even then ISBNs, or any alternative, won't be compulsory.

Joseph


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