Skip navigation
This discussion is archived

This Question is Possibly Answered

1 "correct" answer available (10 pts) 2 "helpful" answers available (5 pts)
3,448 Views 4 Replies Last post: Apr 30, 2012 9:15 AM by Lighthouse24 RSS
Level 0 7 posts since
Mar 9, 2012
Currently Being Moderated

Apr 23, 2012 10:16 AM

ISBN selection

When selecting an ISBN option, I at first chose the CS free ISBN.  After further consideration, I'm not sure what to do.  It states that I can not take it to another publisher.  Does this mean that my book can not be picked up by another publisher later down the road, or just that a new ISBN number may need to be assigned?   Will I be able to take it elsewhere for printing?  Since I'm self-publishing, should I create a name for a publishing company (is that what an imprint is?)

 

I also noticed that if I choose the $99 option, it can be used by another publisher but is not available to libraries or schools in expanded distribution.  Being a children's book, availability at schools and libraries is very important to me.

 

Also, with an ISBN, do I need to register with the Library of Congress or does CreateSpace do this?  (I've applied already for copyright registration online)

 

I'm very new to this, so forgive my total lack of understanding. I have a list of things to ask CreateSpace, and every question I try to research I just end up with even more questions.

 

Thank you!

Level 5 2,725 posts since
Jan 17, 2010
Currently Being Moderated
1. Apr 23, 2012 10:25 AM in response to: VegaGaze
Re: ISBN selection

VegaGaze wrote:

 

When selecting an ISBN option, I at first chose the CS free ISBN.  After further consideration, I'm not sure what to do.  It states that I can not take it to another publisher.  Does this mean that my book can not be picked up by another publisher later down the road, or just that a new ISBN number may need to be assigned?   Will I be able to take it elsewhere for printing?

It means that CS owns the ISBN. You own all rights to your work itself, and you can take it wherever you like. You just can't take that ISBN. You can take it to another POD printer, but you can't use CS's ISBN with anyone but CS.

Since I'm self-publishing, should I create a name for a publishing company (is that what an imprint is?)

An imprint is actually a subdivision of a publishing house, in the case of the big New York companies. If you plan to publish more books, you may want to form your own publishing company and use it for the imprint. If you're just publishing this one book, I wouldn't worry about it.

I also noticed that if I choose the $99 option, it can be used by another publisher but is not available to libraries or schools in expanded distribution.  Being a children's book, availability at schools and libraries is very important to me.

As has been stated in other threads, there don't really seem to be any CS authors who get any sales through the libraries and schools channel, so I personally wouldn't use that as a factor. The authors here who do sell to libraries and schools seem to do so outside CS.

Also, with an ISBN, do I need to register with the Library of Congress or does CreateSpace do this?  (I've applied already for copyright registration online)

I think CS has a paid service to apply for an LCCN number, but it's not necessary to have one. Very few (if any) self-published books make it into the LoC catalogue. This is another thing I wouldn't worry much about.

 

Sarah
Editor & Book Designer
http://sleepingcatbooks.com
Find us on Facebook

 

Accepting submissions for character-themed anthology
The Storm is here and you could win a free paperback copy!
View the trailer

Level 5 5,552 posts since
Mar 10, 2012
Currently Being Moderated
2. Apr 23, 2012 10:30 AM in response to: VegaGaze
Re: ISBN selection

With the CS free  if you choose to print your book elsewhere you will need to assign a different ISBN at that time. It also means that Amazon etc will list CreateSpace as the Imprint of Record for your book.

 

With the $10 option you still have to get a separate ISBN to print elsewhere but you (or a publishing name you choose) will be listed as the Imprint of Record on Amazon etc

 

With the $99 option you own the ISBN so you can then use it to print elsewhere and you are listed as the Imprint.

 

 

In all cases if you are picked up by a mainstream publisher they will assign a seperate ISBN that is tied to their Imprint.

 

 

Note that the paid options are only available to US citizens, if you are from outside of the US you need to use the free option or purchase/procure an ISBN from the appropriate issuing agency for your country.

 

R. C.

Level 0 11 posts since
Apr 29, 2012
Currently Being Moderated
3. Apr 30, 2012 7:15 AM in response to: Seisa
Re: ISBN selection

ISBNs are like order numbers or social security numbers for books.. They have nothing to do with your copyright. It is possible for different books to have the same title. or your book could have several editions (print, e-book, large-print, different publisher etc.) The ISBN just makes each one unique so that the printer or distributor gets it right.

Level 5 10,821 posts since
Aug 22, 2008
Currently Being Moderated
4. Apr 30, 2012 9:15 AM in response to: VegaGaze
Re: ISBN selection

VegaGaze wrote:

Also, do I need to register with the Library of Congress or does CreateSpace do this?  (I've applied already for copyright registration online)

A copy of every book* published in the U.S. must be deposited with the Library of Congress.  CreateSpace does not do this -- it is the responsibility of the author/publisher.  If you've applied for copyright registration, then you'll be required to submit two deposit copies.  One of those copies will be used to fulfill your mandatory deposit requirement with the LoC (so you'll be covered there).

 

* I think there's currently a moratorium on ebook deposits, because the LoC didn't anticipate the quantity of those that would be published, and is still trying to put the technology in place to store and manage them.

Actions

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...
https://www.createspace.com/en/community/message/163893
www.createspace.com
crawl=CC-MAIN-2015-32
60458
application/http; msgtype=response
sha1:42VX2RHEJ6XXLZJQIG5SCXVMV57VS64Z
<urn:uuid:e77ebcd7-f82c-4574-b63e-6fb0974570a3>
2015-08-03T06:36:53Z
176.32.98.2
sha1:2KJZOXR6DDJ3N2YZKHM42W457XVZ5FYD
<urn:uuid:abda33ab-dc81-433a-821d-bff9e3122701>
https://www.createspace.com/en/community/message/163893
length
response
<urn:uuid:075cd602-7570-4970-abc2-18c69165bbe4>
robots: classic
hostname: ip-10-236-191-2.ec2.internal
software: Nutch 1.6 (CC)/CC WarcExport 1.0
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2015-32
operator: CommonCrawl Admin
description: Wide crawl of the web for August 2015
publisher: CommonCrawl
format: WARC File Format 1.0
conformsTo: http://bibnum.bnf.fr/WARC/WARC_ISO_28500_version1_latestdraft.pdf