An ISBN-13, 978-3-16-148410-0, represented as an EAN-13 barcode The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique, numerical commercial book identifier, based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) code created in the UK by the booksellers and stationers W.H. Smith and others in 1966.
The 10-digit International Standard Book Number (ISBN) format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and published as an international standard, ISO 2108, in 1970; (however, the 9-digit SBN code was used in the UK until 1974). Currently, the ISO TC 46/SC 9 is responsible for the standard.
Since 1 January 2007, International Standard Book Numbers have been of 13 digits, compatible with Bookland EAN-13s. Like the numeric identifier, the International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) identifies periodical publications such as magazines.
An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation (except reprinting) of a book. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned after January 1, 2007, and 10 digits long if assigned before 2007. An International Standard Book Number consists of 4 or 5 parts:
1. for a 13 digit ISBN, a GS1 prefix: 978 or 979
2. the group identifier, (language-sharing country group)
3. the publisher code,
4. the item number, and
5. a checksum character or check digit.
The ISBN parts may be of different lengths, and usually are separated with hyphens or spaces.
The group identifier is a 1 to 5 digit number. The single digit group identifiers are: 0 or 1 for English-speaking countries; 2 for French-speaking countries; 3 for German-speaking countries; 4 for Japanese; 5 for Russian, and 7 for Chinese. An example 5 digit group identifier is 99936, for Bhutan. The original standard book number (SBN) had no group identifier, but affixing a zero (0) as prefix to a 9-digit SBN creates a valid 10-digit ISBN. Group identifiers form a prefix code; compare with country calling codes.
The national ISBN agency assigns the publisher number (cf. the category: ISBN agencies); the publisher selects the item number. Generally, a book publisher is not required to assign an ISBN, nor for a book to display its number (except in China), however, most book stores only handle ISBN-bearing merchandise.
