Authors: Do You Need an ISBN for Your E-Book?

What is an ISBN?

International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) provide a global standard for uniquely identifying book titles. More specifically, the ISBN Agency states that “The purpose of the ISBN is to identify one specific version of a book” One book can require several separate ISBNs, one for each publishing format variant as well as added extras.

The ISBN Agency is run by R. R. Bowker, the only official source of ISBNs in the US. Self-publishing authors can buy one or more ISBNs for their e-books directly from Bowker’s website. They sell ISBNs in batches of 10 at a comparatively low price. A batch of 10 could be more financially beneficial than buying a single ISBN. With rapidly evolving book publishing and e-reader technologies, a book can have more than one variation that needs its own ISBN.

Separate ISBNs can be required for book conversion formats tied to specific e-reader devices such as Kindle, Nook, and iPad. Added e-book extras, such as audio, video, and image files, can also require separate ISBNs. Separate ISBNs can be required for e-books with unique user functionalities, such as “print, copy or lend.” Self-publishing authors wanting to edit a prior published e-book will need a new ISBN for each significantly revised version.

Also note that an ISBN that already exists in a print or print-on-demand book cannot be used to identify an e-book version or versions of that book.

Do you need an ISBN when using E-publishing services?

There are some self-publishing e-book services that don’t require that authors get an ISBN for their e-book. However, some publishing experts recommend that authors get their own ISBN for each unique version of their e-book despite using a service. This could help prevent unapproved third party access to an e-book.

Some e-book publishing services like Smashwords and BookBaby have provided ISBNs for author-customers as part of their book conversion packages. For example, BookBaby provides only one ISBN that covers multiple e-book formats.

Smashwords provides two ISBNS: one for the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) format conversion and one that covers multiple other e-book formats. ISBNs provided by Smashwords list the customer as the author and Smashwords as the distributor. Smashwords, however, does allow authors to bring their own ISBNs as purchased directly from Bowker.

Are ISBNs required to publish on most e-reader platforms?

Apple’s iBookstore platform requires that e-book authors have ISBNs, either bought directly from Bowker or bought via Apple. Note that, for Apple e-book authors, iBookstore offers a bonus feature: sales tracking and reporting services via an e-book’s ISBN.

Amazon, however, does not require ISBNs for authors to publish to its Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) e-reader platform. Instead, they assign their own 10-digit identifier, known as the Amazon Standard Identification Number (ASIN). Note, however, that if an author already has an ISBN, Amazon will accept it during the publishing process.

PubIt!, Nook’s e-reader platform (Barnes & Noble), accepts an author’s ISBN(s) purchased by specifically for his or her e-book.

SOURCES:

“How to Self-Publish Your E-Book”, Carla King, PBS MediaShift, September 16, 2011

“The Pitfalls of Using Self-Publishing Book Packages”, Carla King, PBS MediaShift, March 25, 2010

“Guidelines for the assignment of ISBNs to e-books”, International ISBN Agency