Obtaining & Updating ISBNs and Bar Codes
Obtaining an ISBN
As we present your books to bookstores and libraries, especially the book chains (Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc.) and large library wholesalers (Baker & Taylor), they want information in a standardized format. As you probably know, one of the most important ways books get classified is through the numbers R.R. Bowker assigns to them (ISBN's).
Increasingly, our customers are refusing to look at books that don't have ISBNs, so we strongly suggest that you assign ISBNs to all of your titles. Ideally you should print the ISBN on the back of the book and include a barcode. To get the forms for ISBNs, please call Bowker's ISBN agency at: 908/665-6770; you can also get more information and download an application on the web at Bowker.com.
Many of the most basic FAQs about ISBNs are answered here:
ISBN FAQ's
Updating Bowker & Books-in-Print
Once you have obtained your ISBNs, one of the easiest and most effective ways to sell more books is simply to make sure your online information at Bowker is correct & up-to-date. This information gets resold to thousands of stores as Books-in-Print.
IMPORTANT: Checking and updating the data on each of your books can done online via Bowker Link . Currently, setting up a publisher Bowker Link account for ISBNs you already own is FREE. Please contact the Bowker Link customer service with any questions.
Once you begin updating your books via Bowker Link, pay special attention to the "distributor" fields. If SPD is your only distributor, make sure we are listed as the primary distributor. If we are one of your distributors, make sure we are listed. More and more entities large & small (including Barnes & Noble) are relying on Bowker data to update their own systems.
Bar Codes
Along with ISBNs, many chain and large independent bookstores are increasingly refusing to carry books without bar codes. For online information regarding bar codes, we recommend beginning with one of the following sites to gather information, them proceeding to Bowker Bar Code Services or another bar code service.
|
