by Neil Tarvin
Select one...
(a) It's a phony telephone number they use on tv shows
(b) It's part of a secret publisher's language.
(c) It's someone's Texas driver's license number.
The correct answer - unlikely as it may seem - is "B". The number is part of a secret publisher's language known as the ISBN, and it's something *you* should know about.
Well, it's really not a secret, but not many people know what it is or what it means. ISBN stands for "International Standard Book Number" and is an identification system for books and other publications. (Yes, even ebooks.) Today all bookstores order and track books by their ISBN number, and if you want to get your ebook into Barnes and Noble, or Amazon online, you're going to need one.
Have you got a paperback handy? Look at the back cover. See that barcode? That's the book's ISBN number.
So, what does it mean? What are all the numbers for? It's really pretty easy to break down. Let's look at the number above.
1-55105-083-8
1 = a "0" or "1" in the first position indicates it was published in an English-speaking country. Other countries use other codes - "4" is Japan, and "82" is Norway, for example.
55105 = This is the publisher identifier. When you apply for an ISBN, you will be assigned a publisher identification number. (the actual number of digits in this section will vary depending on the number of ISBN's you order)
083 = This identifies a particular title or edition of a title. These numbers are assigned by each publisher as books are published. If you purchase a block of 100 numbers, you'll receive a log sheet listing all the ISBNs that you can assign from 00-99.(In the example, this publisher has a block of 1000 numbers - ranging from 000-999.) The "editions" clause is the tricky part. If you publish an ebook, a Print-On-Demand book, and a CD Rom of the ebook, each has to have it's own ISBN number. (ISBN numbers never expire, so get as large a block as you can afford, especially if you plan to publish more than 1 book! I got a block of 100 numbers back in the late eighties, and I still use them.)
8 = Checksum. This is to verify the rest of the ISBN number. Computing it is something you don't have to worry about- it will be on your log sheet.
If you want more detailed information, or to order ISBN numbers, visit Bowker's - http://www.bowker.com (US register) . They have a link to get you to the registry, or you can go there directly - http://www.bowker.comhttp://www.ISBN.org and you can order online. (There are also links there to all the international agencies as well.)
Invariably, when people ask "What about ISBN numbers...", the second part of the question is "and copyright?"
First of all, the two are mutually exclusive - they have nothing to do with each other.
Did you know that you probably already own some copyrights? If you've ever written anything, even a journal or a letter, you own the copyright to it. In 1976, the government changed the copyright laws to protect virtually anything written or created without the need to file a formal copyright form with the Library of Congress. The protection is automatic, and begins the moment you create something. You don't even have to add the little "Copyright by.." tag unless you want to! Neat, huh? (You should add the tag, though, just for notice that you are reserving all rights. The correct way to do this is "Copyright (year) by (your name)" You can also use the c-in-a-circle, if you prefer. Copyrights are good for your lifetime plus 70 years.
Although formally registering a copyright is not required, having a formal record of the work can allow you to file suit against someone for infringement should the problem ever arise. That alone should be a good reason for registering! Copyright costs $30 for each item, and requires that you submit a copy of the work.
Some items are free to use without worrying about copyright. Public domain items can be freely used. These are works that fall into two main categories - the federal government, and works whose copyrights have expired. There is a less-often used third type of public domain work, and that is work that you release to the public domain yourself. Some items that *seem* to be in the public domain, really aren't. Have you noticed that no one ever sings "Happy Birthday to you" anymore? The family of the woman who wrote it raised a stink about her copyright, and demanded royalty payments each time it was used. Result? No one sings it anymore. (So much for the millions they probably thought they were going to get for it!)
Here are a few copyright facts.
* In most instances, any work you create while employed becomes the property of your employer. This applies to written work and inventions or processes. If you saw the TV movie "The Pirates of Silicon Valley", when Apple Computer was being "birthed" in Steve Jobs' garage, "Woz" had to get his employer's permission to use his own material in the Apple computer. Obviously, the employer had no clue what he was giving away when he told Woz to "go ahead, we're not interested in that." Smart employees "get it in writing" that copyrights and patents they produce are in their name, or a written release from the employer.
* Your copyright has value. A copyright is considered "property" and may be sold, traded, inherited, or given away. You may also sell "parts" of the copyright. For example, you may sell reprint rights or movie rights (there are dozens more.) Major publishers make a lot of money selling all kinds of additional foreign, book club, and paperback rights. You may "license" all or part of your rights. Think "Disney" or, more recently - "Harry Potter" - a fortune is being made by the author licensing her rights to others to create related products and use the Harry Potter images and names.
*The federal government has (literally!) tons of material that is in the public domain that you can freely use in your ebooks. Brochures, papers, reports, studies - all are public domain and belong to the American people. How much of your work has already been done by the government? Visit the government sites and take what you want!
*There is no age limit as to who can own a copyright. You can copyright your 6 year old's first story, if you like, and the government will send you a nice certificate to prove it!
*You can register the copyright under a pseudonym if you prefer.
*The copyright office address is http://www.loc.gov/copyright/index.html . You can use their online applications, or just get more information there.
In a nutshell, that's the answer to "What about ISBN numbers and copyright?" Now, go write something, and put that little c-in-a-circle on it!
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