1.8. Standard Number and Terms of Availability Area
International Standard Book Number:
1. Existing standard numbering system. The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system developed from the book numbering system introduced in the United Kingdom in 1967. The principles and procedures for international standard book numbering are now embodied in the International Organization for Standardization’s Recommendation 2108. The purpose of the ISBN is to identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher by number for processing and inventory control. The ISBN is carried in the MARC record and has become an additional access point in the catalog record in many computer-based systems, including the system at the Library of Congress.
Each ISBN consists of ten digits and is divided into four parts as follows:
a. Group identifier. This identifies the national. geographic, or other similar grouping of publishers. The group identifier varies in length according to likely output of items in a group; the larger the output, the smaller the group identifier. Group identifiers are allocated by the International ISBN Agency in Berlin; to date the following have been allocated:
Allocated Group Identifiers List
b. Publisher identifier. This identifies a particular publisher within a group. The length of this part varies; the larger a publisher’s output, the shorter the publisher’s identifier. Publisher identifiers are allocated by group or national ISBN agencies.
c. Title identifier. This identifies a particular title or edition of a title published by a particular publisher. The length of this part depends upon the length of the publisher identifier. Title identifiers are usually assigned by the publisher.
d. Check digit. This is always the last digit of the number; it consists of a single digit, 0-9, or the capital letter X, which represents the number 10. The check digit is derived from a calculation on the other nine digits and is used in computer systems to validate numbers as a means of checking against errors in transcription.
2. Previous numbering system. Prior to the adoption of the existing system, Standard Book Number (SBN) consisted of nine digits. The only difference between ISBNs and SBNs is that the latter do no contain a group identifier. SBNs were used only in he United Kingdom and the United States. With the inception of the ISBN system, all nine-digit numbers present in the LC MARC database were transformed into ISBNs by the addition of an initial zero to each number by means of computer program.
Transcription:
Each ISBN (valid or invalid) recorded in the bibliographic record together with any qualification and associated terms of availability constitutes a single incidence of the ISBN area. In cases of multiple numbers, one or more of which is invalid, relating to precisely the same edition (e.g., a valid and invalid number; multiple invalid numbers), record them all in the same 020 field. Always record a valid number ($a subfield) first followed by any invalid number(s) ($z subfield).
Transcribe ISBNs that appear on CIP data sheets or on publications. Transcribe first the number that is applicable to the item being described; transcribe other numbers in the order presented. Do not transcribe prices or other terms of availability. Add qualifiers to the numbers if these found data are followed by parenthetical qualifiers or if the found data are followed by succinct information appropriate to qualifiers, e.g., the infinity symbol (¥) which indicates permanent paper. Do not make up and use qualifiers additional to these found in the transcribed data. Use judgment to deal with unusual, complex situations or unusual phenomena.
See also:
1. General Rules for Description
