The Bookseller reports that a Nielsen Book study shows that the number of new books being published every year is steadily rising, due largely to the influence of digital and print-on-demand publishing. Of course, this figure comes from the ISBNs that Nielsen issues; if the number of books published without ISBNs (offered for sale directly via websites, local stores, or other means) has also increased, that might make it even greater. This puts me in mind of the old argument about how the Internet has “killed” the music industry, and the oft-heard retort that, no, it’s just hurting the...

On Publishing Perspectives, independent publisher and e-book consultant Erik Christopher has an article looking at whether to assign separate ISBNs to individual e-book formats, and whether DRMed vs. non-DRMed e-books constitute separate formats. Much of the debate about ISBNs and e-books stems from the use of the word “format.” The question being, when is an e-book in one format, say ePUB, no longer an ePUB? We know, for example, that a Kindle version is a new format, because it is no longer an ePUB file, but a unique version that will only work with...

So reports The Bookseller. ISBNs are part of this, as I have heard at a number of presentations, and publishers don't seem to be doing the best job with them so far. He went on to urge publishers to ensure the separate ISBNs were used on digital formats, to ensure they are counted differently to print formats. "Perhaps this is not being taken seriously enough now, but it will be taken seriously if a chart comes out and a major author isn't number one because the publisher hasn't put the right ISBN on the book," he said. "We don't want...

Google Editions will assign ISBN numbers to books when publishers have not assigned numbers on the works they intend to make available for same. Google and Bowker hope that publishers will assign their own numbers, but will do so if they don't. See here for more info. The Globe and Mail of Toronto is reporting that: "Although some have suggested Google Editions will launch as early as next month, a person familiar with the project said that timeline is likely optimistic, and the service will probably go online later in the year." More info here. Thanks to Resource...

Publishing Perspectives has an article looking at the current problematic nature of the ISBN system when it comes to e-books. The article is a good summary of the situation as it now stands, summing up the ongoing debate between whether to give each format of an e-book its own separate ISBN, or assign one ISBN to the entire book. Publishers tend to favor the single ISBN approach, while booksellers and wholesalers want one for each format. Perhaps not surprisingly—publishers are the ones who would have to pay for the ISBNs, after all, whereas retailers would get the...

The Book Industry Study Group is reporting that the Agency has issued its position paper and reaffirmed its 2005 recomendation that ISBNs be assigned to different forms of electronic publication. This is a controversial topic, as many epublishers resent the extra expense of additional ISBNs. This expense can climb further if one considers that each version of an ebook, i.e., Epub, Mobi, html, etc. should be assigned a different ISBN. For more information check the article here. Thanks to Resource Shelf for the tip....

We've had some discussion on the site about ISBNs and how necessary or unnecessary they are, especially in the ebook context. It's not a subject I know much about, but LJNDawson.com has an interesting article. On the whole she seems to be in favor of them. Her article covers the following myyths: ISBNs are expensive You don't need them if your books are digital Amazon doesn't use them so you don't need them Consumers don't search using them You can find the full text here. ...

The BISG Web presentation is here. See earlier item. (Via PersonaNonData.)...

I picked up the below press release from LJNDawson. It isn't on Bowker's site yet. In 2010, the U.S. ISBN Agency will change its pricing models for ISBNs to accomodate the digital identification needs of authors, publishers, libraries and the supply chain at large. Unit prices all ISBN prefixes will be discounted by as much as 50% from the currently established rate structure, with additional discounts applied to large volume purchases. At Bowker, we recognize the emergent need for a more economical solution for the practical and responsible identification of digital content and products. ISBN price decreases, however, are...

This is from the Book Industry Study Group. I can't seem to get to their website, but PersonaNonData has a link to register there: The book industry has had the ISBN for nearly 40 years; there has been little cause for excitement. Now, suddenly the whole subject of "identifiers" has become a hot topic, particularly when it comes to digital books and other online resources. This BISG Webcast will explore why the book industry has standard identifiers, and consider the future of the ISBN (International Standard Book Number), as well as the role of newer identification standards like ISTC (International...

Using ISBNs with every format an e-book is published in may be too expensive a proposition to support. Jon Noring has suggested using EAN-13 codes for e-books without ISBNs: they're permanent, globally unique, retailer friendly, and won't inadvertently duplicate an ISBN. IDPF should do something to prevent a potential disaster....

Editor's note: Brian submitted this article to me and was unsure as to whether he should actually submit it as a comment to Elizabeth Burton's article. I thought the subject important enough that it deserved its own place as a separate article. Many thanks to both Elizabeth and Brian for their contributions on this issue. PB E-books and ISBNs I would like to clear up some misapprehensions in Elizabeth Burton’s contribution on ISBNs for e-books. ISBN is a voluntary standard First, let me emphasise that ISBN is an ISO standard and, like all ISO standards, is voluntary with no legal compulsion...