This week Rod writes:

Hi,

I'm wondering what is the fastest way to get an barcode for my self-published book. 

Also, is the ISBN different from the Library of Congress number?

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Hi Rod,

The fastest way to get a barcode, if you are creating your cover electronically, is to get a copy of a barcode font software package like Azalea (http://www.azalea.com). Make sure you generate a Bookland/EAN barcode, as this is the one booksellers will scan for.

There is more barcode information online, for example, The Barcode Software Center.

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a separate number from the Library of Congress Card Catalog Number (LCCN or LOC#). The ISBN is a ten-digit number used primarily by booksellers to locate and order your title. The first few numbers of an ISBN are the publishing house's prefix and all books with that prefix come from that publishing house.

Library of Congress numbers represent a separate cataloguing system and are used primarily by librarians. The first two digits of the LCCN indicate the year in which the book was released (i.e. a book published in 1999 would have a LCCN that looks something like this: 99-12345).

The ISBN is incorporated into, and printed above, the barcode (as well as being printed on the copyright page). You will need a different ISBN for each edition or binding of your title (including electronic editions). This ensures that a bookseller can order the correct edition or binding, since each has a unique identifying number.

Conversely, your title will only ever have one LCCN, no matter how many editions or different bindings you get. The Library of Congress will expect you to send them two copies of the best edition of the book (preferably hard back) for their stacks.

Just to keep things interesting: The Library of Congress number should not be confused with the Library of Congress Cataloguing-In-Print information, which is a series of categories under which your title can be filed. This is printed on the copyright page. Nor should it be confused with the Copyright Registration number, which the Library of Congress also issues - but only if you specifically apply for it. Applying for one of these numbers or services does not automatically mean you get the others.

For information on obtaining an ISBN go to the ISBN Agency's website.
For information on obtaining an LCCN to go the Library of Congress website.

Hope this helps!

Julie

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