Notes on the allocation of ISBNs to non-printed books

The following paper, prepared in 1996, still reflects the current practice of many ISBN agencies around the world. It is added here not as a normative but as a reference document. While some details may be outdated, it may still be useful for practical purposes.

Background

The ISBN scheme was established in order to provide a unique number for all monographic works. Within the rules governing the scheme, the critical factors determining eligibility for inclusion have centred on content and periodicity of publication. Reinforcing the rules themselves is the pragmatic understanding that, irrespective of all other considerations, eligible items must have been created with the intent that their primary function is to serve as a book in its conventionally accepted sense. Thus, the presence of text on items such as mugs or T-shirts in no way makes these items eligible to carry ISBNs. Similarly, mugs, T-shirts, jigsaw puzzles or any non-book items that happen to be produced by a company that also publishes books, or sold by a company that also sells books, are also ineligible.

When the scheme was devised, the conventional view of the book was basically that it was a printed product containing text or illustration. However, even by this time (1967) there was also a general recognition that microform publications were equally eligible for consideration for inclusion in the scheme. The medium used has never, of itself, been of over-riding importance. Thus a product, which by content, periodicity and purpose is generally accepted as serving the function of a book may be eligible for consideration for inclusion in the ISBN scheme irrespective of whether the medium is paper, cloth, animal skin (vellum), film, tape or disk. The main problem facing the ISBN community in this area is to distinguish between books which are now available in a range of media, and other material, such as music and films, which also happen to be available in the same media. The latter items – music and films – are almost totally outside the scope of the ISBN scheme.

All other products should carry a standard EAN or UPC code. If there is a doubt as to which code is appropriate, guidance should be sought from the relevant ISBN, EAN or UPC Agencies.

ISBN and EAN

Because of the requirement for all ISBN Agencies to keep records of all prefixes they have allocated, there is a natural reluctance to expand the scheme unnecessarily because of the costs of maintaining the files.

All ISBN Agencies are requested to establish a working relationship with their national EAN Agency and advise producers of materials that are outside the scope of the ISBN scheme that they should deal directly with their national EAN Agency.

Ultimately, it is the joint responsibility of the national ISBN Agency and their local EAN/UPC authority to work through any difficulties relevant to the national market they serve.

Long term, we must all recognise that our market will have to be able to cope with pure EANs as well as ISBNs in EAN form.

There are many possible crossover points, for instance – educational material, sometimes sold in toy shops more than in bookshops.

The following notes identify the main types of non-printed products which are regarded as being books and provide some guidelines as to how material available in the different media forms should be handled.

1. Audio cassettes

Eligible:

1. Spoken word tapes. These are primarily narrations of stories or poetry, but may be instructional. Music may be present but only as introductory or background music which accompanies the spoken word.
2. Non-music sounds tapes with accompanying spoken words. For example, bird sounds with accompanying spoken commentary.
3. Children's nursery rhymes and nonsense rhymes. These may be either accompanied or unaccompanied by music.
4. Instructional tapes on music or music technique. Music may be present but, if so, it must be secondary to the spoken word.

Ineligible:

5. Music tapes or tapes whose major element consists of music.
6. Song tapes (accompanied or unaccompanied by music) unless the song is presented in unaccompanied poetic form or consist of rhymes as described in (iii) above.
7. Hymns, plain song and chant.
8. All other sounds presented in music form.

2. Computer tapes and diskettes

Eligible:

1. Computer tapes or diskettes which have encoded text or static graphics which are complete within themselves and specifically intended for output in human readable form.
2. Computer games primarily intended to educate through a combination of graphics and text. For example, a game for children that is intended to be educational by virtue of text responses and help screens, as opposed to a game of purely entertainment value.
3. Software that is primarily intended to instruct, such as chess software that teaches a player the moves and strategy of the game, but not software which is solely designed to allow the user to play the game for entertainment.

Ineligible:

4. Software containing code which is primarily intended for use within machines. For example, system or application software.
5. Software containing code which requires data to be added to it in order to function fully. For example, database software, word processing, DTP packages, etc.
6. Computer games solely or primarily intended for entertainment, irrespective of the age group at whom the product is aimed.

1. Fantasy, adventure and role-playing games,
2. Arcade and «Shoot-em-up» games which rely primarily on hand/eye co-ordination,
3. Simulation games which attempt to simulate the operation of a real or imagined situation,
4. Competitive games in which users play against an opponent with the primary aim of «winning» a game.

3. Compact disks

Eligible:

1. Compact disks carrying text, static graphics or moving images which are complete within themselves and whose contents are primarily designed to act as a means of instruction or education. For example, disks whose content is comparable to that available in printed reference works.
2. Games and activity disks for children primarily intended to educate through a combination of graphics and texts (as described in 2 (ii)).

Ineligible:

3. Music disks or disks whose major element consists of music.
4. Song disks (accompanied or unaccompanied by music) unless the song is presented in unaccompanied poetic form or consists of children's nursery rhymes or nonsense rhymes.
5. Hymns, plain song and chant.
6. All other sounds presented in music form.
7. Disks containing code which is primarily intended for use within machines.
8. Disks containing code which requires data to be added to it in order to function fully.
9. Games solely or primarily intended for entertainment, with the same exclusions detailed in 2 (vi).
10. Disks carrying moving images which are intended for entertainment or general recreational interest.

4. Videos

Eligible:

1. Educational videos specifically aimed at children up to the age of 16.
2. Instructional videos imparting practical knowledge about specific subjects, the content of which is comparable to that available in printed books. For example, a video on how to play golf or how to make wooden toys.

Ineligible:

3. Music videos
4. Videos intended for entertainment or general recreational interest, irrespective of whether the content is fictional or factual, e. g. film videos, documentaries and sports events.

5. Films

Eligible:

1. Flat film (sheet or filmstrip) or roll film carrying positive images, of text or illustration, whose contents and frequency of publication conform to the requirements for printed books and whose frames are intended for projection one at a time.
2. A microform (with either positive or negative image) of a previously published monograph.
3. Microforms (positive or negative) of previously unpublished material provided the content and frequency of publication conform to the requirements for printed books.
4. Microforms (positive or negative) of previously published serial publications that are being made available in monographic form.
5. Roll films carrying images intended to simulate movement on projection that are educational and specifically aimed at children up to the age of 16.

Ineligible:

6. Any film carrying a negative image (except microforms as described above).
7. Roll films carrying images intended to simulate movement on projection that are for entertainment or general recreational interest.
8. Any film created solely as part of a manufacturing or phototypesetting process.