| ISBN application for printed publications | ISBN application for electronic publications | Data about the publisher |

What is ISBN?

The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique 10-digit number that consists of the following parts:
- Group identifier (country and language). In Estonia the country identifiers 9949-, 9985- and 5- are used;
- Publisher identifier. Depending on the scope of publishing activities the identifier can contain from one to four digits.
- Title identifier that specifies a single edition of the publisher;
- Check digit that is used to check whether the given ISBN number is correct or wrong. The capital letter X is used for the number 10.

Example:
Group identifier (country/language): 9985
Publisher identifier: -803
Title identifier:-07
Check digit: -8

Starting from January 1, 2007, a 13-digit ISBN number will be adopted instead of the current 10-digit one. The structure of the number remains the same, but a trade bar code identifier 978 will be added. The 13-digit ISBN number is identical to the currently used bar code of books.
A more detailed overview of the changes to the ISBN numbering system is available at Frequently Asked Questions about changes to the ISBN.
Preliminary guidelines for the Implementation of 13-digit ISBN are available at
Guidelines for the Implementation of 13-Digit ISBN.

Why is the ISBN important?

- The ISBN number enables quick and precise identification of a publication,
- facilitates ordering and selling books, and
- assists in accounting.
Once a year the Estonian ISBN Agency distributes the contact data of Estonian publishers who have joined the ISBN system for the address book  “Publishers’ International ISBN Directory” (PIID) (also available on CD-ROM) published by the International ISBN Agency in Berlin and providing information on 584 582 publishers worldwide.

What does the publisher have to consider?

In the ISBN system all legal persons and individuals are considered publishers if they are engaged in issuing books irrespective of whether the publications are sold or distributed free of charge. The publishers may be publishing houses, institutions of higher education, associations, societies, municipalities, organisations etc.
Acquiring an ISBN number for a publication is the duty of the publisher, as information about the country and the publisher is encoded in the ISBN number. The publisher is responsible for the correctness of the ISBN. The publisher identifier has to correspond with the name of the publisher printed on the title page.

ISBN numbers are assigned to:

- books
- brochures
- serials with a special title
- videos and films for educational purposes
- kits containing a book and an electronic/audiovisual item
- computer software for educational purposes only
- maps, atlases
- Braille books
- micropublications  (microfilms and microcards)
- electronic items (diskettes, CD-ROMs, web publications)

ISBN numbers are not assigned to:

- newspapers and periodical publications (ISSN), except for serials with a special title, which get both standard numbers
- printed music (ISMN)commercial material (sale catalogues, price lists, product presentations, folders, instructions, issuing prospectuses etc.)
- wallpapers, posters, postcards, news publications, and leaflets
- theatre, concert and other show programmes
- lists of showpieces without extra text
- college and higher school curricula and plans
- manuscripts of lectures and educational material
- dissertations and their reviews
- calendars, diaries
- forms, questionnaires and colouring books
- normative documents (standards, patents) issued as a separate publication
- sound recordings.

What is the difference between ISBN, ISMN and ISSN numbers?

The ISBN is an identification number for books and the ISSN is a code for periodical publications. The ISBN is assigned to all books in one or several volumes or to non-book publications, which are not issued as continuous serials.
Serial publications and book series with special titles are assigned both standard numbers. Every part of a serial publication obtains a new ISBN number; the ISSN number remains the same until changes in the title of the publication are made. 
The ISMN is an international music standard number.

Location of the ISBN number in the book

The ISBN appears in the lower left side corner of the verso of the title page (at least in 9 pt type), and in the lower section of the outside back cover. The ISBN on the trade bar code must be eye-readable. The ISBN number for audiovisual and electronic items is printed on both the information carrier and its envelope. Each appendix of the book must have its own ISBN. If a book has two or more ISBN numbers, they must be printed all on the verso of the title page. In the case of a multivolume work, the ISBN of the whole work is printed on the verso of the title page; and the ISBN of the particular volume appears below. On the back cover of the book only the ISBN of the given volume is printed.

ISBN and EAN

The ISBN agency assigns only ISBN numbers; publishers have to obtain on their own the EAN, an identification bar code for trade items.
The EAN/UCC-13 code formed on the basis of the ISBN number is not entered into the Estonian Barcode Trade Register.

Contact:
Tulika 19
Tallinn 10613
Phone: (2) 650 5063
Fax: (2) 650 5093
E-mail: infogs1.ee
Managing director: Raivo Rits
Consultant: Hille Harjak
Home page: http://www.gs1.ee

Applying for ISBN in Estonia

Since 1992, the Estonian ISBN Agency at the National Library of Estonia is the only institution in Estonia, which assigns publisher prefixes to publishers. The service is free of charge.

The Estonian ISBN Agency
The National Library of Estonia
Tõnismägi 2, Tallinn 15189
Phone: 630 7372, Fax: 631 1200
E-mail: isbnnlib.ee