ISBNs are assigned by a book publisher to a particular book format when a book is published. This standardization allows publishers and booksellers to identify books quickly, facilitating the trade of books between libraries, retailers, and distributors. When we discuss ISBNs, it’s important to note that ISBN are issued locally but recognized globally. Also, please note, there is big deference in issuing ISBN and assigning ISBN.
ISBNs are issued by an ISBN agency to book publishers or authors in case of self-publishing. After that, book publisher assign the ISBN to a book title.
Each country has one official ISBN agency that is responsible for issuing ISBN to book publishers in their country. That means you can’t obtain an ISBN from another country’s ISBN agency unless you have a registered company in that country. That’s why it’s important to find the official ISBN agency in your country that can assign an ISBN for your book.
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There are two ways of obtaining an ISBN as a self publisher or independent author: You can obtain them from the ISBN agency in your country, and you can get an ISBN from your book publisher or publishing platform.
In some countries, ISBN are provided by the Government for free to their citizens only. But, you will have to jump through many loops to get ISBNs.
On the other hand, most countries have privatized their ISBN agency. That means you will have to pay for ISBNs. In my experience, a privatized ISBN agency is a better option because book publishers save tons of time, obtain ISBN in bulks, process are smothers and much more.
Moreover, you need to keep in mind ISBNs are international. A ISBN purchased from the US ISBN agency is as equal as a free ISBN from a government-based ISBN agency.
What is a ISBN Agency?
An ISBN Agency is an organization that ensures all the books published in a particular country are assigned a unique International Standard Book Number or ISBN. It is an identification number that publishers assign to every book they publish.
ISBN agencies maintain records of all available numbers and will issue them only to publishers that have met their criteria for publishing standards. They provide services like registration and distribution of ISBNs in a given country.
How to find an ISBN Agency in your Countries
Finding an official ISBN agency in any country is easy, just do a Google search “ISBN agency + country name”. Or, there is another way in which you will get all the info you need regarding your country’s official ISBN agency, including their office address and phone number.
isbn-international.org is an International ISBN agency website. You can learn a lot about ISBN from their official website. On their website you will find an option which can help you find info about the ISBN agency in your country. Here is a direct link to find an ISBN Agency: https://www.isbn-international.org/agencies
ISBN Agency in Your Country
Here is a list of 20 ISBN agencies country wise. If you don’t see your country in this list, then don’t worry, you can find an ISBN agency in your country through the ISBN International Organization website.
United States
Organization: R.R. Bowker, LLC – US ISBN Agency
Address: 26 Main Street, Suite 102, Chatham, NJ 07928
Phone 1: (+1) 877-310-7333
Phone 2: (+ 1) 888-269 5372
Fax 1: (+1) 908-623-8508
Email: isbn-san@bowker.com
Web: http://www.isbn.org
ISBN Prefix: 978-0 | 978-1 | 979-8
United Kingdom
Organization: Nielsen Book – ISBN Agency
Address: Midas House, 3rd Floor, 62 Goldsworth Road – Woking, Surrey GU21 6LQ
Phone 1: +44 (0) 1483 712 215
Fax 1: +44 (0) 1483 712 214
Email: isbn.agency@nielseniq.com
Web: https://nielsenbook.co.uk/isbn-agency/
ISBN Prefix: 978-0 | 978-1
Canada
Organization: ISBN Canada, Library and Archives Canada / Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
Address: 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON K1A 0N4
Phone 1: (+1 819) 994 68 72
Phone 2: (+1 866) 578 77 77 (toll free)
Fax 1: (+1 819) 997 7019
Email: isbn@bac-lac.gc.ca
Web: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/services/isbn-canada/Pages/isbn-canada.aspx
ISBN Prefix: 978-0 | 978-1
Germany
Organization: ISBN-Agentur für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland
Address: MVB GmbH, Braubachstraße 16 D-60311 Frankfurt am Main
Phone 1: +49 69 1306 387
Fax 1: +49 69 1306 255
Email: isbn@mvb-online.de
Web: http://www.german-isbn.de
ISBN Prefix: 978-3
Spain
Organization: Agencia del ISBN
Address: Cea Bermúdez, 44, 2 derecha 28003 Madrid
Phone 1: +34 902 105 389
Email: agencia@agenciaisbn.es
Web: http://agenciaisbn.es
ISBN Prefix: 978-84
Australia
Organization: ISBN Agency – Thorpe Bowker
Address: Level One, 607 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Victoria, 3004
Phone 1: (+61 3) 8517 8349
Fax 1: (+61 3) 8517 8399
Email: isbn@thorpe.com.au
Web: http://www.myidentifiers.com.au
ISBN Prefix: 978-0 | 978-1
Singapore
Organization: ISBN Agency
Address: National Library Board, Library Supply Centre, 3 Changi South St 2 #03-00, Xilin Districentre Building B 486548
Email: enquiry@nlb.gov.sg
Web: http://www.nlb.gov.sg/deposit/home/index
ISBN Prefix: 978-981 | 978-9971
United Arab Emirates
Organization: Ministry of Culture & Youth – ISBN Agency
Address: P.O. Box 17 Abu Dhabi
Phone 1: (+971) 501199984
Phone 2: (+971) 800552255
Email: info@mcy.gov.ae
Web: https://www.mckd.gov.ae/en/services/issuing-international-standard-book-number-isbn/
ISBN Prefix: 978-9948
Mexico
Organization: Agencia ISBN México
Address: INDAUTOR (Instituto Nacional del Derecho de Autor), Puebla No. 143, piso 2, Col. Roma Norte, Alcaldía Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06700, Ciudad de México
Phone 1: (+52) 55 3601 8206
Phone 2: (+52) 55 3601 8221
Fax 1: (+52) 55 3601 8206
Email: isbnmexico@cultura.gob.mx
Web: http://www.indautor.gob.mx/isbn/index.html
ISBN Prefix: 978-607 | 978-968 | 978-970
Ghana
Organization: George Padmore Research Library on African Affairs
Address: c/o Ghana Library Authority, P.O. Box GP 2970 Accra
Phone 1: (+233) 24 944 6508
Phone 2: (+233) 24 217 4209
Email: padmorelibrary@gmail.com
Web: https://www.library.gov.gh/isns/
ISBN Prefix: 978-9964 | 978-9988
France
Organization: AFNIL
Address: 35, rue Grégoire de Tours 75006 Paris
Phone 1: (+33 1) 4441 2919
Fax 1: (+33 1) 4441 2903
Email: afnil@electre.com
Web: http://www.afnil.org
ISBN Prefix: 978-2 | 979-10
Sweden
Organization: Swedish ISBN Agency
Address: National Library of Sweden National Bibliography, Box 5039 102 41 Stockholm
Phone 1: +46 10 709 33 64
Phone 2: +46 10 709 30 90
Email: isbn@kb.se
Web: https://isbn.kb.se
ISBN Prefix: 978-91
Denmark
Organization: DBC DIGITAL A/S
Address: Tempovej 7-11, DK 2750 Ballerup
Phone 1: +45 24 65 77 17
Phone 2: +45 24 65 81 76
Email: isbn@dbc.dk
Web: http://www.isbn.dk
ISBN Prefix: 978-87
Switzerland
Organization: ISBN-Agentur Schweiz
Address: c/o Schweizer Buchhändler- und Verleger-Verband SBVV, Limmatstrasse 107, Postfach, 8031 Zürich
Phone 1: +41 44 421 36 01
Phone 2: +41 44 421 36 04
Fax 1: +41 44 421 36 18
Email: isbn@sbvv.ch
Web: https://www.sbvv.ch/orderisbn/25/ISBN-Agentur/bestellformular
ISBN Prefix: 978-2 | 978-3
Israel
Organization: Israeli ISBN Group Agency
Address: Israeli Center for Libraries, 22 Baruch Hirsh St., P.O. Box 801 Bnei Brak 51108
Phone 1: +972 3 618 01 51
Phone 2: +972 54 590 70 20
Fax 1: +972 3 579 80 48
Email: isbn@icl.org.il
Web: http://www.icl.org.il
ISBN Prefix: 978-965
Kuwait
Organization: ISBN Agency
Address: National Library of Kuwait, P.O.Box. 26182, 13122 Safat
Phone 1: +965 229 29802
Fax 1: +965 229 29869
Email: isbn@nlk.gov.kw
Web: http://www.nlk.gov.kw
ISBN Prefix: 978-9921 | 978-99906 | 978-99966
Philippines
Organization: Standard Book Numbering Agency
Address: Bibliographic Services Division, The National Library of the Philippines, TM Kalaw St P.O Box 2926, Ermita Manila 1000
Phone 1: +632 5 336 72 00 (x406-407)
Phone 2: +63 9 1787 18210
Email: isbn@nlp.gov.ph
Web: http://web.nlp.gov.ph
ISBN Prefix: 978-621 | 978-971
South Africa
Organization: ISBN Agency
Address: The National Library of South Africa, Private Bag X990 Pretoria 0001
Phone 1: +27 (0) 12 401 9718
Phone 2: +27 (0) 12 401 9776
Fax 1: +27 (0) 12 325 5984
Email: ISN.agency@nlsa.ac.za
Web: http://www.nlsa.ac.za
ISBN Prefix: 978-0 | 978-1
Pakistan
Organization: Pakistan ISBN Agency
Address: National Library of Pakistan, Sector G-5 Constitution Avenue, Islamabad – 44000
Phone 1: (+92 51) 920 2549
Phone 2: (+92 51) 920 7456
Fax 1: (+92 51) 922 13 75
Email: nationallibrary2000@yahoo.com
Web: http://www.nlp.gov.pk
ISBN Prefix: 978-627 | 978-969
India
Organization: Raja Rammohun Roy ISBN Agency
Address: Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development
Room No. 13, 4th Floor, Jeevandeep Building, Parliament Street New Delhi-110001
Phone 1: (+91-11) 2334 1739
Phone 2: (+91-79) 2326 8229
Email: isbn-mhrd@gov.in
Web: http://www.isbn.gov.in
ISBN Prefix: 978-81 | 978-93
