ISBN's, LCCN's, and Barcodes

What is an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)?

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a number which uniquely identifies books and "book-like products" published internationally. Because they are so specific, the hardcover version of a book should have a different ISBN than the softcover. A corrected printing should have a different ISBN than the original. An audio version should likewise have a different number.

How do I get an International Standard Book Number (ISBN)?

The U.S. ISBN Agency (not the Library of Congress) is responsible for the assignment of ISBNs to publishers resident in the U.S. and who publish titles in the U.S. The U.S. ISBN Agency address is:

R. R. Bowker (U.S. ISBN Agency) 630 Central Ave. New Providence, NJ 07974-1154; Phone: (877) 310-7333; Email: info@bowker.com ; Website http://www.isbn.org/standards/home/isbn/us/index.asp

What is a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)?

A Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a unique identification number which the Library of Congress assigns to the catalog record created for each book in its cataloged collections. Librarians use it to locate a specific Library of Congress record in its national databases and to order catalog cards from the Library of Congress or from commercial suppliers. The Library of Congress assigns this number while the book is being cataloged.

What is a barcode?

A barcode is a series of vertical bars of varying widths, in which each of the digits (zero through nine) are represented by a different pattern of bars that can be read by a laser scanner. In the book-selling world, they are printed on the back of the book and usually include the ISBN which allows bookstores to easily track sales and update book prices. Every Mill City Press book receives a barcode so it is ready to be sold in the bookstore market.