What is an ISBN, an ISSN, and a Barcode
- An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies a printed book, audio book, ebook, or video.
The purpose of an ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title, in a specific format, from one specific publisher. The ISBN number is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers, and distributors.
Example 1
Title X in paperback format only, with a print run of 1,000 copies, only needs 1 ISBN
Example 2
Title Y available in three formats: hardcover, paperback and audio book (same title) = 3 products = 3 ISBNs
- An ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is a 8-digit number that uniquely identifies a serial publication (including newspaper, journals, conference proceedings and working papers).
- Barcode: Each book has a unique barcode, which is usually affixed to the last page prior to the back cover in our library's books. It is the graphic with vertical lines that encodes numerical information for scanning purposes. When you take the book to the Self-Check Machine, its barcode will be scanned into the computer system, you will be told how long you can keep the book out and when you should return it.
