- An ISBN is a unique 13-digit identifier for one format of one book.
- Each format (ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook) needs its own ISBN.
- ISBN metadata is the bibliographic record attached to that number.
- It includes title, contributors, format, publisher, price, and BISAC subject codes.
- It travels through the ONIX feed that retailers and libraries ingest.
ISBN metadata is the bibliographic record attached to a book’s ISBN — the 13-digit identifier unique to one format of one title. The record includes title, subtitle, contributors, format, publisher, publication date, price, and BISAC subject codes, and it travels through an ONIX feed that bookstores and libraries ingest. Each format (ebook, paperback, hardcover, audiobook) needs its own ISBN and its own metadata.
Chapter i·Why it matters
ISBN metadata is how the supply chain finds, categorizes, and sells a book outside Amazon. Wrong or missing metadata means a book that bookstores cannot order and libraries cannot catalog. Because the record propagates through distribution feeds, fixing it after the fact is slow — getting it right before assigning the ISBN saves weeks of correction.
Chapter ii·What to include
- A separate ISBN for each format you publish.
- Accurate title, subtitle, and contributor names exactly as on the cover.
- Correct format, page count, and publication date.
- Two to three precise BISAC subject codes.
- Publisher imprint and price.
- A decision on whose ISBN you use — your own versus a free retailer-assigned one.
Chapter iii·Example
An author assigns three ISBNs — ebook, paperback, hardcover — from her own publisher account so the imprint stays hers across stores. For each she enters identical title and author fields, the correct format and page count, three BISAC codes, and a price. When IngramSpark pushes the metadata into the ONIX feed, a local bookstore can order her hardcover by ISBN without any manual lookup.
Chapter iv·Related questions
WriteLoom’s Sell studio stores an ISBN and metadata record per edition, so each format’s bibliographic data stays accurate and in one place.
See the Sell studio