The Upcoming ISBN-13

The new ISBN-13 takes effect beginning 1/1/2007. Until that date, only the 10-digit code is to be used. To mke things more fun, all books published in the current "transition" period will contain both versions of the ISBN. The ISBN-13 is brought to you by the same loverly people who devised the ISBN we use today, the International Standards Organization (ISO). Oh yeah, "ISBN" is an abbreviation for International Standard Book Number.

Fortunately for booksellers, RR Bowker provides an ISBN-13 Online Converter Thank goodness, too, since I've already read a few uninformed discussions by people who sell books, advising how to convert the 10 digit ISBN to the new and improved version. According to isbn.org the change is to prevent a shortage of available numbers and to arrange a match for books using the global EAN.UCC.

The running out of numbers aspect reminded me of a book auction I once attended. Tens of thousands of books, filled the room. All the books were printed near the turn of the century, before Library of Congress (LOC) numbers, and no two were alike. The volume of books was overwhelming, but the amazing part was very little in that giant selection held any interest for me. Just think, no easy way to catalag all those volumes when they were originally printed either! Aren't we lucky!