The ISBN
Users' Manual

Index User Manual

7. Printing of ISBN


  7.1. General

The ISBN must appear on the item itself. This is essential for the efficient running of the system.

The ISBN must appear:

  • on the verso of the title page (copyright page)
  • on the lower section of the outside back cover
  • on the foot of the title page, if there is no space elsewhere
  • on the bottom of the back dust jacket, or any other protective case, or wrapper
  • on the base of the spine (only if the product is a paperback book)
  • on the label of the container if the publication is issued in it (cassette, diskette, CD-ROM etc.)
  • on the title display, or the first display (CD-ROM, internet publications)
  • on the credit titles (film, video)

See also Appendix 4.1.

The ISBN should always be printed in type large enough to be easily legible (i.e. 9 point or larger).

  7.2. ISBN in bar coded form

The rapid, world-wide expansion of bar code scanning has brought into prominence the agreement reached between the International Article Numbering Association (EAN), the Uniform Code Council (UCC) and the International ISBN Agency, which allows the ISBN to be converted into an EAN bar code. This makes the ISBN an international identifier within the world-wide bar coding scheme.

All EAN bar codes start with a national identifier, except those on publications. The agreement replaces the national identifier with a special "Bookland" identifier represented by the digits 978 for books.

The 978 Bookland EAN prefix is followed by the first nine-digits of the ISBN. The check digit of the ISBN is dropped and replaced by a check digit calculated according to the EAN rules (modulus 10).
An EAN bar code consists of 13 digits.

Example of the conversion of the ISBN to ISBN Bookland EAN:
ISBN with check digit 
0-330-28987
 -X
ISBN without check digit
0-330-28987
  
Added EAN article identifier
 978-0-330-28987
  
Added EAN check digit 
978-0-330-28987
 -0

Printing the ISBN in Bookland EAN symbology

     

Further information on the introduction and use of EAN codes is provided by the ISBN group agencies and the International ISBN Agency. Group agencies are encouraged to cooperate directly with the EAN organisations on a national or regional level.

  7.3. Five-digit add-on code

There is a 5 digit add-on code which can be used for additional information, such as suggested retail price. The add-on information may have the following formats:

  1. five-digit bar code indicating the price with human readable numbers above the bar code, or
  2. five-digit bar code indicating that no price is present, with the human readable numbers of 90000 above the bar code.

Printing the ISBN / EAN number in bar code with a 5 digit add-on code:

  a)
    

  b)
     

In some countries this add-on is mandated by the publishing industry bar coding authority. Such is the case in the United States where the Books and Serials Industry Communications (BASIC) has put on record that the add-on to the bar code is mandatory.

The five-digit add-on code must no longer be used for price information in European countries introducing the Euro currency. For more information please check the EAN manual and/or contact the EAN organisation.

  7.4. Providing the ISBN Bookland EAN bar code –
          instructions for film master suppliers

Film master suppliers providing ISBN Bookland EAN bar codes to publishers to print on products should observe the following procedures:
Validate the ISBN provided by the publisher, using the ISBN check digit validation algorithm, to avoid any transcription or transposition errors (see ISBN check digit calculation algorithm [chapter 4.4.]).
Hyphenate the ISBN based on the hyphenation algorithm (see ISBN hyphenation algorithm [chapter 4.5.]).
Generate the ISBN Bookland EAN number (see algorithm for generating the Bookland EAN from the ISBN [chapter 7.5.]).

Print the following:

Mandatory
  1. ISBN in 9 point or larger
  2. ISBN Bookland EAN in bar code
  3. ISBN Bookland EAN in human readable numbers

Optional (at the publisher's discretion)

  1. Five-digit add-on in bar code and in human readable format
All these procedures should be done through computer programming.

EAN technical requirements for bar code printing should be observed.

ISBNs printed in machine readable form are still subject to the rules laid down by the ISBN standard. The considerable number of additional rules and recommendations makes it necessary that those wishing to print the ISBN in scannable font should contact the local ISBN agencies for advice.

  7.5. Algorithm for generating the Bookland EAN from the ISBN
Procedure
Example

1. Enter the digits of the
ISBN (this line is put in for
completeness only). It is as-
sumed that the ISBN would
already have its check digit
validated
 
 
 
 
0
-
9
0
1
6
9
0
-
5
4
-
6


2. Read the first 9 digits
of the ISBN
 
 
 
 
0
-
9
0
1
6
9
0
-
5
4
 
 


3. Add the bookland flag
of the EAN
9
7
8
-
0
-
9
0
1
6
9
0
-
5
4
 
 


4. Enter/read the constant
weighting factors associated
with each position
of the EAN
1
3
1
 
3
 
1
3
1
3
1
3
 
1
3
 
 


5. Multiply each digit by its
associated weighting factor
9 + 21 + 8 + 0 + 9 + 0 + 1 + 18 + 9 + 0 +  5 + 12
 
= 92 


6. Divide the sum by the
modulus number (10) to find the remainder 92 : 10 = 9 remainder 2


7. Look up the appropriate
check digit for the particular
remainder in the table
Remainder
Check Digit
 
 
0
0
 
1
9
 
 
2
8
 
 
3
7
 
4
6
 
5
5
 
6
4
 
7
3
 
8
2
 
9
1


8. Generate the complete EAN
(Note the hyphens are not
part of the EAN and are only
included here for clarity)

           978-090169054-8
___________________________________________
Note: Steps 3-6 can be achieved by matrix multiplication

  7.6. Algorithm for reconstructing the ISBN from the EAN
Procedure
Example

1. Enter the digits of the
EAN (this line is put in
for completeness only).
It is assumed that the EAN
would already have its check
digit validated
9
7
8
-
0
-
8
5
3
8
6
-
0
7
0
-
9


2. Delete the 978 flag and
check digit from the EAN
leaving the ISBN without
its check digit
 
 
 
 
0
-
8
5
3
8
6
-
0
7
0
 
 


3. Enter/read the constant
weighting factors associated with
each position of the ISBN
 
 
 
 
10
 
9
8
7
6
5
 
4
3
2
 
 


4. Multiply each digit by its
associated weighting factor
 
 
 
 
0
 
72
 40
 21
 48
 30
  
0
21
0
 
 


  5. Sum the products of the
multiplication 0 + 72 + 40 + 21 + 48 + 30 + 0 + 21 + 0
 
= 232 


6. Divide the sum by the
modulus number (11) to find the remainder 232 : 11 = 21 remainder 1


7. Look up the appropriate
check digit for the particular
remainder in the table
Remainder
Check Digit
 
 
0
0
 
 
1
X
 
 
2
9
 
3
8
 
4
7
 
5
6
 
6
5
 
7
4
 
8
3
 
9
2
 
10
1


8. Generate the complete
ISBN with hyphens

           ISBN 0-85386-070-X
___________________________________________
Note: Steps 2-5 can be achieved by matrix multiplication

 

 

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URL: http://isbn.spk-berlin.de
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