Can You Gift an Author ISBN Numbers? (The Answer Is, Sort Of!)

From time to time someone might ask an independent author, “What would you like as a gift?” What that author doesn’t dare say, but might really want and need is ISBN numbers. That reply would most likely confuse a well-meaning friend, family member, or fan of the author’s books. And it might lead them to ask…

What Is an ISBN Number?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is the unique identifier that tells bookstores, libraries, and distributors exactly which book they are dealing with. Each edition and format of a book gets its own number. Flip a book over and you’ll find that ISBN number somewhere on the back cover. Maybe you thought it was just a bar code to help a cashier ring up the sale – and maybe it does that too – but it’s much more than just that.

Independent authors must purchase their own ISBNs through official channels, unless their publisher gives them numbers. I know Draft2Digital publishing gives authors one number per book for free. D2D (as authors call them) probably buys them in gigantic blocks to drive the cost down low enough to do that.

Amazon uses their own “in house” numbering system (ASIN, Amazon Standard Identification Number) which works fine at their own site, but bookstores, libraries and distributors won’t purchase books from Amazon due to that lack of a “real” ISBN number.

In the US, the official channel for ISBN numbers is Bowker. Because the numbers are tied to the person or company that purchases them, the purchaser is listed as the publisher of record. This is why authors really need to buy their own ISBNs, so that their publishing imprint stays attached to their books.

The Graceful Way to Give the Gift of ISBN Numbers

Instead of buying ISBNs yourself, the best way to give this gift is simply to contribute toward the cost of a block of ISBN numbers. Think of it as the literary equivalent of giving a musician studio time or a photographer money toward a new lens. Ways to do this include:

• A simple cash contribution, with a verbal explanation
• A prepaid gift card designated for publishing expenses
• A handmade, whimsical certificate redeemable towards ISBN numbers, accompanied by cash or a gift card

It’s a simple gesture, but for an independent author it can be immensely practical and meaningful. One book may require several ISBNs (paperback, hardcover, audiobook, and so on), so the need for those numbers can stack up pretty rapidly.

Why Does One Book Need So Many ISBNs?

Each format and edition of a book must have its own identifier so bookstores, libraries, and distributors know exactly what they are ordering. What do I mean by format? Here’s a little chart to explain.

One book title could easily require four or five ISBNs during publication. This is why independent authors often purchase ISBNs in blocks rather than individually. It dramatically reduces the cost per number and keeps all editions listed under the author’s own publishing imprint. The price of one ISBN can range from $125.00 to buy just a single ISBN, down to $1.50 (yes really) if bought as a block of 1,500 ISBNs. There’s a lot of in-between block sizes, the “sweet spot” being a block of 100 for $575.00, which makes each number cost $5.75.

These numbers can be set aside and used as needed, rather like a book of postage stamps (for those of you who remember sending snail mail!)

Trivia Fact: The Last Digit Is a Teacher Grading Your Work

In an International Standard Book Number (ISBN-13), the final digit isn’t arbitrary. It’s a check digit calculated from the previous twelve numbers using a repeating pattern of 1s and 3s. Those numbers are multiplied and summed, and the final digit is always divisible by 10. I’m rather math-incompetent, but even I think that’s kinda nifty. This system can help catch typos which could easily happen with such a long number.  Now you have something witty to share at the next cocktail party.