ISBN & ISSN Barcodes: Identifying Books & Periodicals

ISBN & ISSN Barcodes: Identifying Books & Periodicals

Books and periodicals use specialized barcode numbering systems that integrate with the global EAN-13 barcode standard. ISBN identifies books, while ISSN identifies serial publications like journals, magazines, and newspapers.

ISBN-13: The Book Identifier

Since January 1, 2007, all books use the 13-digit ISBN, encoded as a standard EAN-13 barcode. ISBN-13 numbers use two reserved GS1 prefixes:

• 978: The original "Bookland" prefix
• 979: Extended prefix for new registrations

Structure: 978 + Registration Group (1-5 digits) + Registrant (variable) + Publication (variable) + Check digit

Example: 978-0-13-468599-1 (a programming textbook)

ISBN Supplemental Barcodes

Books typically carry a 5-digit supplemental barcode to the right of the main EAN-13 symbol. This supplement encodes the suggested retail price:

• First digit: currency (5 = US dollars, 6 = Canadian dollars)
• Remaining four digits: price in cents

Example: 52495 means $24.95 USD

A price of 90000 indicates "no suggested price." A price of 99991 indicates "complimentary copy."

The ISBN-10 to ISBN-13 Transition

Before 2007, books used 10-digit ISBNs. Converting ISBN-10 to ISBN-13:

1. Prepend 978
2. Drop the old check digit
3. Calculate a new Modulo 10 check digit

ISBN-10: 0-13-468599-X becomes ISBN-13: 978-0-13-468599-1

ISSN: Serial Publications

ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is an 8-digit number for periodicals. It is encoded in an EAN-13 barcode with GS1 prefix 977:

Structure: 977 + ISSN (first 7 digits) + Variant (2 digits) + Check digit

The variant digits can indicate different editions (e.g., print vs digital) of the same publication.

ISSN Supplemental

Periodicals may include a 2-digit supplemental barcode indicating the issue number (01-99). This helps automated circulation systems identify specific issues.

Bookland EAN Standards

Implementation Notes

• Always print both the EAN-13 barcode and the ISBN/ISSN in human-readable form
• Format the human-readable ISBN with hyphens: 978-0-13-468599-1
• The 5-digit supplement is technically optional but universally expected by bookstores
• E-books and digital publications also receive ISBNs but obviously do not need printed barcodes
• Libraries typically add their own internal barcode labels for circulation tracking