ISBNs, barcodes and copyright for self-published authors

Before your book reaches a store shelf or a library, it needs a few identifiers that have nothing to do with how it looks. An ISBN tells the book trade which book this is, the barcode lets a store scan it, and copyright protects the words inside.

This guide explains the basics. It is not legal advice, so for questions about your specific situation, talk with an intellectual property attorney or another qualified professional.

What an ISBN is

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13 digit number that identifies one specific edition and format of a book. Bookstores, distributors, libraries and retailers use it to list and order your book.

A few things to know:

• One ISBN per format. Your hardcover and your paperback each need their own ISBN. So does an ebook or an audiobook if you publish one.
• A reprint keeps its ISBN. Printing more copies of the same book, with the same content and format, does not need a new number.
• You may not need one at all. If you only sell by hand or give copies away, an ISBN is optional. If you want bookstores or libraries to order your book, you will want one.

Where US authors get an ISBN

In the United States, ISBNs are issued by Bowker, the official US ISBN agency. You buy them from Bowker directly at myidentifiers.com, either one at a time or in blocks. Prices change, so check the current price on Bowker's site.

When you buy an ISBN, the name on the account becomes the publisher of record. The book trade lists that name as your publisher. If someone else buys an ISBN and resells it to you, they are the publisher of record, not you.

If you live outside the United States, ISBNs come from the agency for your country. Agencies and their rules differ by country, so search for the ISBN agency where you live.

How The Honest Print can help with ISBNs

We offer two options, and we will always tell you plainly which one you are choosing:

• Done for you, in your name. We purchase the ISBN from Bowker on your behalf, in your own name, for a service fee. You are the publisher of record.
• A Latter House imprint ISBN. You can choose an ISBN from the Latter House imprint instead. In that case, Latter House is listed as the publisher of record for that ISBN. We explain what that means before you decide.

Either way, just ask us and we will set it up with you.

The barcode on the back cover

The barcode on the back of a book is an EAN-13 barcode, sometimes called a Bookland barcode. It encodes your ISBN so a store can scan it at the register.

Many book barcodes have a smaller five digit barcode to the right of the main one. That is the price add-on. It encodes the retail price, with the first digit naming the currency (5 for US dollars). If you do not want to print a price, the add-on is usually 90000, which means no price is set.

A few practical points for your cover:

• Place the barcode on the back cover, usually in the lower right corner, on a white box so it scans cleanly.
• Keep it inside the safe area, away from the trim and the spine fold. Our guide on bleed, trim and safe areas explains why.
• Do not stretch or recolor it.

Our ISBN and barcode setup service can create the barcode file for you, ready to place on your cover.

Copyright

In the United States, your work is protected by copyright as soon as you write it down. You do not have to register, and you do not have to print a copyright notice for the protection to exist.

Registering with the US Copyright Office adds legal benefits. A registration creates a public record of your claim, and in general you must register before you can bring a lawsuit for infringement of a US work. Registering early can also affect what you are able to recover in court. You can register online at copyright.gov, where you will also find the current fees.

We offer help with copyright registration if you would like someone to walk through the application with you.

Library of Congress Control Number

A Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a number that helps libraries catalog your book.

The timing is important: you request it before your book is published, through the Library of Congress PrePub Book Link program. The number is then printed on your copyright page. Not every book is eligible, and the rules change from time to time, so check eligibility on loc.gov before you apply.

Getting started

If you need an ISBN, a barcode, copyright help or a Library of Congress number, start your book and tell us what you need. If you are not sure which ones your book needs, tell us how you plan to sell it, and we will help you decide. You can also see all our services on the help page.