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The origin of ISBN revealed: How did it evolve from a 9-digit number to a 13-digit number?
In today's global market for book publishing, the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is undoubtedly an important identification mark. Originally, the ISBN paradigm was based on the 9-digit Standard Book Number (SBN) created in 1966 for the purpose of uniquely identifying each book. The current ISBN format has a total of 13 digits, but many people may still not understand its background.
History and Development of ISBN
ISBN was first proposed in 1967 to respond to the needs of the book market at that time. At that time, the British bookseller WHSmith took the lead in announcing that it would implement a standard numbering system. Gordon Foster, who was responsible for the construction of the system, was a professor of statistics. This system later became the international standard ISO 2108 in 1970.
"Each ISBN is a unique digital identity, making books easier to identify and track."
The original 10-digit ISBN design was used until 2007, and since then, all new ISBNs have been 13-digit. This change makes the ISBN compatible with Bookland's European Product Numbering System (EAN), as both are 13 digits.
ISBN structure analysis
According to the specification, the 13-digit ISBN is divided into five parts: the prefix element (currently 978 or 979), the registration group element, the registrant element, the publication element, and the checksum. This structure is designed to not only manage books in different languages, but also to cover publications from different countries.
“For every publishing house, having the correct ISBN is not only a logo, but also a ticket to enter the market.”
Data distribution process
ISBNs are issued by registration agencies in each country, and these agencies allocate ISBNs based on the size of the publishing industry in their respective countries. Therefore, the scope and number of ISBNs vary between countries. Most national ISBN registries are managed by national libraries or cultural departments, sometimes with direct government funding.
Confirm the necessity of means
ISBN not only makes books globally unique, but also provides important data management tools for publishers, booksellers and libraries. However, many publishers do not verify whether the book title matches the ISBN when publishing books, which leads to problems in book identification.
"Inappropriate ISBNs may cause confusion when people are looking for books, which is something the publishing industry needs to pay attention to."
ISBN and the future of digital publishing
With the rise of digital publishing, the application scope of ISBN is also expanding. For example, China’s General Administration of Press and Publication has been using ISBNs to identify mobile games since 2016. Such a shift not only reflects the flexibility of ISBN, but also marks the publishing industry's adaptation to emerging media.
Summary
From the 9-digit standard book number to today's 13-digit ISBN, the evolution of numbers not only represents the changes in the publishing industry, but is also the cornerstone of the unique identification of various publications. As technology develops, the role of ISBN may become increasingly important. How will these numbers affect our understanding and use of books in the future?
