ISBN Barcodes on Books: What the Numbers Tell You

Turn a book over and you will find a barcode on the back cover. It is built from the book's ISBN.

What an ISBN is

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. It identifies a specific edition of a book, so a hardback and a paperback of the same title carry different ISBNs.

ISBN-13

Since 2007, ISBNs have had 13 digits. They begin with 978 or 979, which is the prefix used to place books inside the EAN-13 barcode system. That is why a book barcode is simply an EAN-13.

The groups of digits

Part	Meaning
Prefix	978 or 979
Registration group	usually a country or language area
Registrant	the publisher
Publication	the specific title and edition
Check digit	the last digit, for error detection

The groups vary in length, which is why ISBNs are often printed with hyphens to show the breaks.

The older ISBN-10

Books published before 2007 often show a 10-digit ISBN. It can be converted into the 13-digit form by adding the 978 prefix and recalculating the check digit.

The price add-on

Some books carry a second, smaller barcode next to the main one. This is an add-on code and may show the price or a price band in some markets.

Uses

• Finding a book in a library or online catalogue
• Checking the edition before buying a textbook
• Ordering the exact copy you want

Tips

1. Scan the barcode or type the 13 digits.
2. Match the edition for study books.
3. Keep the number if you need to reorder.

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