ISBN & Barcodes

WHAT IS AN ISBN?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number which is a worldwide identification code for books and other published materials which contain at least four pages of text. This means that booksellers, libraries and other interested parties can easily locate and order a publication.

WHEN IS A BARCODE REQUIRED ON BOOKS?

Not every book requires a barcode, for instance those sold or given away privately, such as a family history. However those books that are sold in shops require barcodes, which is a global standard for the indentification of goods and services. Retailers, such as booksellers, require barcodes.

APPLYING FOR ISBNS AND BARCODES

Craigs provides the service of obtaining ISBNs. These come from the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa in Wellington and are free, however two printed books are required for the Library. Craigs sends these to the Library on your behalf.

Craigs has software that allows us to produce a barcode from the ISBN information.