13-Digit ISBN - A Quick Overview
The ISBN is being converted so that all product is sold internationally with the same type of item number. This will include mass market outlets, such as WalMart, Target, and grocery stores that currently use a different item number to sell books (a UPC code).
You may be surprised to learn that you already have the 13-digit ISBN number on your books currently in print. It appears underneath the barcode. This number starts with 978, then includes the first 9 digits of your ISBN and the final number of the new ISBN is a check digit whose calculation is based on the first 12 digits of the new ISBN. (There will soon be a place on the web to do this calculation.)
The 978 prefix is reserved for any ISBNs purchased before January 1, 2007. After that date, Bowker began issuing ISBNs under the new standard and, at some point, the first three digits on new ISBNs will change over to 979 as Bowker runs out of 978 ISBNs. As of January 1, 2007, the prefix for your publishing company is no longer valid. As Bowker needs to, they will be reissuing prefixes with 979 as the first three digits and will not issue the same prefixes to the publishers who already had them. So, for example, Taylor Trade Publishing has a prefix of 087833, but Bowker could now issue that prefix to another publisher.
The appearance of the ISBN with dashes between the numbers will not change. The only change you will need to make is to add a dash after the 978. So for example, current ISBN 1-873671-00-8 becomes 978-1-873671-00-9. Bowker and BISG both plan to put up a site allowing you to calculate your new ISBN with a 978 prefix by entering the current 10 digit ISBN. In the meantime, whoever prepares your barcodes can calculate the new ISBN quickly by going into their barcode program and setting up that ISBN. The number underneath the bar code that starts with 978 is your new ISBN number.
Reference Web Sites
There are several websites that provide comprehensive information. The first is the International ISBN Agency which is responsible for the transition. Their web site is www.ISBN-international.org/revision.html. The second is the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) found at www.bisg.org BISG is an organization of book retailers, wholesalers and distributors who work to develop common standards for the industry. Companies such as Barnes & Noble and Ingram belong to this organization, as well as NBN. BISG has an extensive overview on their site about ISBN 13. When you enter the site, click on the ISBN-13 area listed on the left side of the page. Both sites have several sections devoted to the changeover to the ISBN 13 and will answer your detailed questions. In addition, there is a short article on the Publishing Marketing Association site, www.pma-online.org, outlining the change.