How to Make an ISBN Bar Code

It's a good idea for your book to have an ISBN bar code for cataloging and reference purposes.

Almost every published book sold in stores or online carries an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) bar code. An ISBN is an important tool for cataloging, selling and shipping books -- and it's a good idea to have one if you are an author looking to sell your work. Thanks to computer software, it's now possible to create your own ISBN bar code from the comfort of your home PC.

Things You'll Need

• International Standard Book Number (ISBN)
• Barcode software such as IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator, Softmatic Barcode Generator or iBarcoder by Cristallight

Instructions

Using IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator

1. Open the IDAutomation Barcode Image Generator software.

2. Click on the "Barcode Properties" tab. In the "Data to Encode" box, enter the first twelve digits of the ISBN for your book, followed by the number "5" and the price of the book. When entering the price, think of the numbers in terms of cents; if your book costs $10.50, enter "1050."

   Select "1.80" in the "Bar Height (CM)" box and ".050" in the "X Dimension (CM)" box. Select "EAN13" in the "Symbology" pop-up window.

3. Click the "Text & Color Properties" tab. Find the button for the "Human Readable Text Font" and click it. When given an option, choose "IDAutomationOCRb at 9 points."

4. Click on the "Caption Properties" tab. Click on the button for the "Upper Caption Font" and select "IDAutomationOCRa." Set the font size to 9 points and click "OK." While still in the Caption Properties tab, enter your ISBN; make sure to include dashes.

5. Click on the "Image Properties" tab. If you're not certain of your resolution, choose "300." Select "Bitmap" as the "Image Type."

6. Click "Generate Image File." You can now attach the image of the bar code to your book's digital layout or print it out on a label to attach to the physical book.

Using Softmatic Barcode Generator

1. Open the Softmatic Barcode Generator application.

2. Select "Code ISBN 13" from the "Symbology" pop-up menu, located in the "Barcode Settings" area.

3. Enter the ISBN for your book in the "Barcode" text field, located in the "Data to Encode" area.

4. Select an appropriate font and file format for your bar code.

5. Click on the "Save" button to save your image file. You can now attach the image of the bar code to your book's digital layout or print it out on a label to attach to the physical book.

Using iBarcoder by Cristallight Software

1. Open iBarcoder. Click on the "Barcode" icon on the tool bar.

2. Enter the ISBN for your book in the "Data" box, located in the "Barcode Information" window.

3. Select "ISBN 13" from the "Bar Code" pop-up window.

4. Customize the size and shape of your bar code image as you see fit.

5. Go to "File" and choose "Export" to save your bar code as an image, or "File" and "Print" to print your bar code to a label.

Tips & Warnings

• If you received your ISBN before 2007, you may need to convert your number to the new 13-digit format.

References

• IDAutomation: How to Create & Print ISBN Book Barcodes
• U.S. ISBN Agency: ISBN Information
• U.S. ISBN Agency: General Questions
• Cristallight Software: How to Generate ISBN Barcode video tutorial
• Softmatic: Softmatic Barcode Maker