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E-publishing - ISBN

Margaret I. Carr

Correction
In the June "E" is for... add 'errors' to the list. I made an assumption based on a secondary source that turned out to be incorrect. You cannot get a single ISBN. The minimum block is ten and the service charge for a block of ten is $205. Ouch! (This information I got from the primary source. I used R.R. Bowker's feedback to ask my questions. I received an answer by email on the next business day. Thanks to CINDY DES VOIGNES of the R. R. BOWKER ISBN AGENCY for the quick and informative response! (R.R. Bowker provides ISBNs for the U.S. They also have a link to International sites for ISBNs for publishers outside the U.S.)

Go to the Source
Secondary sources, such as my articles about epublishing, are useful in getting a general idea but when you start making definite plans check with the primary source before you act! Also, things can change very fast even offline so it is a good idea to recheck anything that may cost you. If I had proceeded on the basis of this particular error to try to self-publish my chat book on the bare bones, absolute minimum budget I gave I would have had quite a nasty financial shock when I tried to apply for a single ISBN.

Do you need more than one?
Yes. Even if you are planning on only one book you will probably want to make it available in more than one format. The other question I asked was about formats. I wanted to know if pdf and html were considered different formats and would therefore require different ISBNs. They are and they do.

I really expected that answer. ISBNs are a means of managing ordering. A reader who wants the pdf version isn't going to be very happy with you if you send her the html version or a proprietary version for a hand held reader she doesn't have. You will also probably want to at least have the capability of sending a version on a floppy to reviewers and maybe even some of the book retailers.

After you get an ISBN
You've begged, borrowed or saved up enough to go ahead. The book or books are written and carefully proofread. You have assigned an ISBN to each version and included it on the copyright page. Now what? You still have to register it with the 'database of record for the ISBN Agency'. For the U.S. that is R.R. Bowker. According to the Bowker ISBN FAQ companies are eligible for free listing in various directories. Are e-books included? That is the next question I am going to send in. I'll post the answer in the T-zero Forum if they are as quick in responding as they were to my first questions.