Extracts from 

Guidelines for the

Implementation of 13 Digit ISBNs

Retrospective conversion

Publishers will need to recalculate all their ISBNs and accommodate the new number

format in their systems. This will include ISBNs for all titles in print, probably all or most

out of print titles for which orders or other enquiries might be received, and for all

outstanding unallocated ISBNs supplied by local agencies. 

Software will be widely available for small scale conversions, and systems providers may

supply conversion programs to their customers. Some publishers, particularly those with a

substantial number of unallocated ISBNs, may be tempted to continue the use of 10 digit

ISBNs for internal systems or create other fixes that simply make it seem as if the number

has changed, whereas in reality the ISBN structure is still based on the 10 digit ISBN. This

is discouraged because of the ambiguity that becomes possible once 979 prefixes are in

circulation. This would be a particular danger for users who truncate ISBNs just down to

publication element and check digit in internal systems, omitting even the registrant

element.

N.B

. Publishers will not be expected to sticker their stock with 13 digit ISBNs since the bar

code will remain the same and the Bookland EAN 13 printed below the bar code will be

the same number as the 13 digit ISBN (although without hyphenation).

Booksellers will need to process 13 digit ISBNs for ordering, invoicing, and other functions

from 1 January 2007 and may wish to be in a position to do so as soon as possible. Most

booksellers' systems will already be capable of handling 13 digit product numbers used by

the EAN system; the ability to read and process an identical number structure for books

and for other merchandise without the risk of ambiguity should be a considerable benefit.

Manual stock control and other systems may require conversions to be made from 10 digit

to 13 digit ISBNs.

Libraries and library systems

Libraries and library system vendors will need to support both existing 10 digit ISBNs and

new 13 digit ISBNs as much in advance of 1 January 2007 as possible and continue to do

so well into the future.

It is not necessary to convert the ISBNs held in bibliographic records retrospectively, but

record formats must be able to hold 13 digit as well as 10 digit ISBNs as soon as possible.

Libraries may want to record both forms of the same ISBN when publishers print both in

publications, which they are likely to start doing well ahead of 1 January 2007. When a

purchase order is based on a bibliographic record containing only a 10 digit ISBN, the

ISBN must be converted to 13 digits in the purchase transaction records.

Existing references to books citing 10 digit ISBNs will continue to be used by library

patrons indefinitely. Patrons must be able to find bibliographic information in library

catalogues by searching with either ISBN format for all 10 digit ISBNs and those 13 digit

ISBNs in the 978 range, regardless of the form of the ISBN in the bibliographic record.

This will require changes to indexes and search interface software, which will need to be

done as much in advance of 1 January 2007 as possible.

Libraries that provide for patrons and staff to search other library catalogues and other

information sources through a single user interface will need to consider the impact of

changes to accommodate 13 digit ISBNs at either end. Systems that merge and

de duplicate search results from multiple sources using ISBNs will need to allow for

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