How to Get an ISBN Number for Your Novel

Published book & ISBN

The International Standard Book Number system was started in 1967 by publishers J. Whitaker & Sons Ltd. of London. In 1968, the Bowker Agency was established in the United States to assign ISBNs in the U.S. The ISBN system of classification standardized and improved the shelving, marketing and distribution of books worldwide.
With an ISBN, a book purchased in the United States is the same book available worldwide. Get an ISBN if you're a producer of audio cassettes, DVDs, CDs, a professional organization that prints reading materials, or a book publisher. Publishing houses buy numbers in large blocks rather than single ones.

Things You'll Need

• Media for an ISBN
• Credit card or check

Instructions

ISBN agents

1. 

   Contact R.R. Bowker in the United States, the National Library of Canada in Canada, or the UK ISBN Agency in the United Kingdom to purchase an ISBN.

2. 

   Create an account and fill out the online application. Have your credit card ready when you log in to Bowker's Web site to apply. Get a single ISBN for $125 or a block of 10 ISBNs for $325. There is an application fee depending on the number of ISBN or blocks you buy from $30-$180.

3. 

   Go to R.R. Bowker's Web site (http://www.myidentifiers.com), if you live in the U.S., to fill out and submit your application online or download the application and mail it to R. R. Bowker, 630 Central Ave., New Providence, NJ 07974.

4. 

   Get recognition as a publisher by purchasing an ISBN yourself through Bowker and registering the number along with the book's title.

5. 

   Purchase your number through one of Bowker's representative groups that provides publisher services as an alternative. They will then sell you an ISBN, register the number and book title for you; in turn, they will receive recognition as the publisher. Whoever registers the ISBN and title is the publisher.

6. 

   Do not purchase an ISBN if you're a self-publisher selling your own books with no plans to place, sell, or market to libraries, online booksellers, online distributors, and/or bookstores.

7. 

   Expect to wait at least 10-15 days after the agency receives your application, whether online or through the mail, for processing. New applicants receive their processed application through the mail via Express mail (next business day), Priority mail (second business day) or regular mail (up to 15 business days). Yearly renewals are done online.

8. 

   Call Bower at 1-908-268-1090 if you live in New Jersey or toll-free at 1-888-269-5372 if you reside outside of New Jersey for further information.

Tips & Warnings

• Submit your application just before the production of your media. Register the ISBN(s) and title of your work(s) together to have it listed in the Books in Print database.

References

• Bowker in the United States
• The National Library of Canada
• The UK ISBN Agency in the United Kingdom

Resources

• Bowker