Content Questions
Where can I find out everything I ever wanted to know about 13 digit ISBNs?
(what is it? what is special about "978" and "979" ISBNs? etc)
The Book Industry Study Group (BISG)
has led the industry approach to expanding ISBNs from 10 to 13 digits. The BISG
has made available a special site (Are You Ready for ISBN-13?)
which provides a comprehensive overview of the new 13-digit ISBN - why it is necessary,
how and when to get ready, etc. The introduction provided by this website follows:
Effective January 1, 2007, the length of the International Standard Book Number
(ISBN) will officially change from 10 to 13 digits.
The ISBN provides a standard way to identify books in global trade. In 2007, the
publishing industry will begin using 13-digit ISBNs, phasing out the use of 10-digit
ISBNs.
This change will affect everyone who uses ISBNs throughout the world.
The questions and answers included on this page relate to how Lightning Source has
implemented support for the new 13-digit ISBN and how you can take advantage of
these changes.
Do I have to change the ISBNs of all my existing titles to 13-digit ISBNs?
No. LSI plans
to support both 10 and 13-digit identifiers indefinitely. Consequently, it will
never be necessary for you to explicitly change any 10-digit ISBNs to 13-digit ISBNs.
Since LSI catalogs will be published with BOTH 10-digit and 13-digit ISBNs (for
titles published initially with a 10-digit ISBN or published initially with a 13-digit
ISBN which begins with 978), it is not necessary for you to explicitly change any
of your ISBNs in order to support orders for your titles. In effect, LSI is automatically
doing this for you while simultaneously preserving the ability of any retailer to
access your books via 10 or 13-digit ISBNs.
Additionally, all publisher compensation and invoice reporting will be delivered
with both 10 and 13-digit identifiers beginning 1/1/2006.
If you do decide to change your title's official ISBN from 10-digits to its 13-digit
equivalent, LSI will continue to provide both 10 and 13-digit support for ordering,
invoicing, etc. In fact, any ISBN change you make will be transparent to both LSI
and ordering customers since LSI provides both 10 and 13-digit identifiers for all
appropriate titles.
What happens when "979" ISBNs are introduced? (Will my catalog be a mixture
of "978"s and "979"s?)
The only difference
between a 979 and a 978 ISBN is that a 979 title does not have a 10-digit equivalent
(i.e. you cannot convert a 13-digit 979 ISBN to a 10-digit ISBN as you can with
a 13-digit 978 ISBN). As 13-digit 979 ISBNs are introduced, your catalog will have
a mixture of 978 and 979 ISBNs in the 13-digit ISBN location; 979 ISBNs will have
spaces (blanks) in the 10-digit ISBN location of their catalog record.
If I have an existing ISBN prefix, will I get to keep it?
LSI does not
determine or participate in any ISBN prefix assignment. Since there is no fixed
relationship between 978 and 979 prefixed ISBNs, it is highly unlikely that existing
ISBN prefixes will be retained. However, please consult your issuing ISBN provider
or BISG for
specifics regarding your situation.
What about the barcode and ISBN on the back cover?
LSI already
prints 13-digit ISBN barcodes on the back cover of all books (it is also called
the EAN). However, the human-readable number just above the ISBN will remain the
same as originally provided to LSI.
While the BISG recommends that new printings of 10-digit books be altered to print
both 10 and 13-digit ISBNs in human readable form on the back cover and on the copyright
page, LSI does not recommend this change for POD titles, since the barcode already
complies with 13-digit standards.
If you elect to have the human readable portion changed on the back cover and/or
copyright page you may resubmit your changed content as a revision to LSI or request
that LSI perform the revision directly on your behalf. Standard revision fees will
apply for each title changed.
Do I have to change the Copyright notice on the title page?
LSI already
prints 13-digit ISBN barcodes on the back cover of all books (it is also called
the EAN). However, the human-readable number just above the ISBN will remain the
same as originally provided to LSI.
While the BISG recommends that new printings of 10-digit books be altered to print
both 10 and 13-digit ISBNs in human readable form on the back cover and on the copyright
page, LSI does not recommend this change for POD titles, since the barcode already
complies with 13-digit standards.
If you elect to have the human readable portion changed on the back cover and/or
copyright page you may resubmit your changed content as a revision to LSI or request
that LSI perform the revision directly on your behalf. Standard revision fees will
apply for each title changed.
What will go out in the Titles @ Ingram feed that is supplied internationally
to bookstores?
For books
published with 10-digit ISBNs, both 10-digit and 13-digit ISBNs will be supplied
with all records beginning 1/1/2006. For books published with non-978 prefixed 13-digit
ISBNs, only the 13-digit ISBN will be supplied.
How will my Publishers Compensation reports reflect the 13-digit ISBN change
and when will this happen?
All publisher
compensation and invoice reporting will be delivered with both 10 and 13-digit identifiers
beginning 1/1/2006.
I use LSI's electronic catalogs and/or ordering services (e.g. EDI). What documentation
will be available to help me understand what needs to be changed?
LSI's
eBusiness with Lightning Source
suite of documentation has been updated to describe the changes being made to support
13-digit ISBNs. EDI, Catalog, and eBook integration guides have all been updated
to describe changes necessary to support communicating SKU and 13-digit ISBN information.
By what date do I need to make my changes so as not to be suddenly impacted
by your catalog or order format changes?
LSI will continue
to support both current catalog and order interface formats well into 2007. Our
intent is to support the current formats as long as customers require them to be
supported.
So the actual schedule for switching to the newer catalog and order interface formats
is up to you.
For
customers who use LSI's electronic catalogs and/or ordering services (e.g. EDI):
Effective 1/1/2006, LSI will have additional
catalog and order interface formats available which support 13-digit identifiers.
The specifications of each of these new interfaces, including sections on "What
changed to support 13-digit ISBNs", are available in the updated versions of LSI's
eBusiness with Lightning Source
suite of documentation.
Where can I go to convert my 10-digit ISBN to a 13-digit ISBN?
ISBN.org provides an ISBN-13 Online Converter. In addition to converting ISBNs
one at a time, this site also provides information on converting batches of ISBNs.
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Ordering Questions
When can I begin ordering with the new 13-digit ISBNs (with a 978 prefix) for
existing titles?
Beginning
1/1/2006, all order interfaces into LSI will support 10 and 13-digit ISBNs as well
as 14 digit GTINs.
LSI's internal systems (including our website) have been ISBN-13 ready since 1/1/2005.
How will the paperwork appear that ships to customers?
LSI will show
the ordered item identifier on the packing slip (and on the primary product shipping
label where full-carton quantities are involved). If a 10-digit ISBN is ordered,
that is what will appear on the packing slip. If the equivalent 13-digit ISBN is
ordered instead, that 13-digit ISBN will appear on the packing slip.
What will appear on my invoices?
What appears
on your invoice depends on the format in which you receive your invoices:
Printable, PDF invoices will display either the 13-digit ISBN or the 10-digit ISBN
depending on whether the publisher defined a 10 or 13 digit ISBN when submitting
the title to LSI.
Sample PDF Invoice
TSV (Tab Separated Value) files will display in the "isbn" field either the 13-digit
ISBN or the 10-digit ISBN depending on whether the publisher defined a 10 or 13
digit ISBN when submitting the title to LSI and will also include both the 10-digit
ISBN and the 13-digit ISBN values (added at the end of the TSV record) in the new
"isbn_10" and "isbn_13" fields.
Sample TSV Invoice
EDI invoicing will reflect what is submitted as the ordered item identifier(s).
If a single value is passed (just the 13-digit ISBN or just the 10-digit ISBN),
the same value will be returned. If multiple values are submitted (both the 13-digit
and the 10-digit ISBNs), both will be present in the EDI invoice as well.
Can I still order titles using 10-digit ISBNs in the future?
LSI plans
to support both 10 and 13-digit identifiers indefinitely.
Books initially
published with a 10-digit ISBN will always be available for order via both 10 and
13-digit ISBN, since their 10 and 13-digit ISBN identifiers are algorithmically
interchangeable. Books published with a 13-digit ISBN starting with 978 will also be
orderable via both 10 and 13-digit ISBN, since the 10-digit ISBN is interchangeable
with a 13-digit ISBN beginning with 978. Books published with a 13-digit ISBN starting
with anything other than 978 (e.g. 979) will not be orderable via a 10-digit equivalent
ISBN. 979 ISBNs will begin being issued after 2007, according to the BISG standards
committee.
What happens January 1, 2007, when 10-digit ISBNs are supposed to be eliminated?
Other than
celebrating a new year, it will be business as usual for LSI and for customers doing
business with LSI. LSI plans to support both 10 and 13-digit identifiers indefinitely.
The reason both 10 and 13-digit ISBNs will be supported indefinitely is because
many publishers have indicated that they will not be following the BISG recommendation
for converting ISBNs for POD titles due to the cost of conversion and because LSI
has made conversion unnecessary. Indefinite support of both 10 and 13-digit ISBNs
allow publishers and retailers maximum flexibility with regard to timing and costs.
What is GTIN-14, and will you accept it?
GTIN-14 is
a special format used by some merchandisers to support multiple bundling options
for a product (e.g. bundled sets, carton quantities, etc).
LSI will accept GTIN-14 identifiers provided they represent the 13-digit ISBN prefixed
by a "0". LSI will simply strip the leading "0" from the identifier and treat the
remaining 13-digits as the ordered ISBN.
Additionally, 14 digit identifiers will only be accepted by a subset of LSI's EDI
interfaces. These are: EDI X.12 and the POFIO proprietary feed (developed by Ingram
Book Company).
I use LSI's electronic catalogs and/or ordering services (e.g. EDI). What documentation
will be available to help me understand what needs to be changed?
LSI's
eBusiness with Lightning Source
suite of documentation has been updated to describe the changes being made to support
13-digit ISBNs. EDI, Catalog, and eBook integration guides have all been updated
to describe changes necessary to support communicating SKU and 13-digit ISBN information.
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eBook Fulfillment Questions
How is the eBook fulfillment process impacted by 13-digit ISBNs?
Historically,
the assignment of an ISBN to each eBook format has been handled differently by the
publishing community. Some publishers assign an ISBN to each eBook format; other
publishers assign a single ISBN at the eBook level (a single ISBN for all formats);
and still other publishers do not assign a separate ISBN at all for an eBook, preferring
instead to reference the eBook by its print ISBN counterpart.
Because of this diversity in ISBN assignment, LSI has always assigned its own distinct
identifier known as a SKU. This is a 10-digit identifier with a check-digit structure
mimicking an ISBN, but which is not a registered ISBN. Every distinct format of
every eBook is assigned a distinct SKU.
So what happens in 2007 when eBooks are to have 13-digit ISBNs?
LSI will continue
to assign these 10-digit SKUs to all eBook formats and provide these ordering SKU
identifiers in all eBook catalogs, as is done today. LSI will also provide the publisher
assigned ISBN (10 or 13-digit) and parent ISBN. This will mean that the 940FIXED
format will be altered slightly to include space for the new 13-digit identifiers.
The altered catalog format will be referred to as the 940FIXED13 format.
What documentation will be available to help me understand what needs to be
changed?
LSI's
eBusiness with Lightning Source
suite of documentation has been updated to describe the changes being made to support
13-digit ISBNs. Specifically, the eBook Integration Guide (eBusiness with Lightning Source: Part 5 - Guide 2)
has been updated to describe the catalog changes necessary to communicate SKU and
13-digit ISBN information.
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