ISBN Terms Of Use

R.R. Bowker LLC ("Bowker"), a Delaware limited liability company, is the exclusive ISBN Registration Agency for the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. Operating under a grant from the International ISBN Agency, Bowker has the exclusive right to assign ISBN prefixes and ISBNs to publishers located in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico. By registering with Bowker and completing an ISBN Application, Registrant agrees as follows:

  1. Registrant hereby certifies that it is a US, or its territories, publisher. A publisher is a person or firm whose business is the publishing of books or other publications to which an ISBN can be assigned, and includes e-book publishers, audio cassette and video producers, software producers and museums and associations with publishing programs.
  2. Registrant will only assign ISBNs to publications to which it holds publishing rights.
  3. Registrant will not sell, license, distribute, disseminate, assign or otherwise make its assigned ISBN prefix and ISBNs available to other publishers or to any third parties.
  4. Registrant agrees to follow the International ISBN Standards for use of ISBNs. The ISBN is used to identify uniquely one publication or edition of a publication published by one specific publisher in one specific format. The ISBN Users’ Manual is available at the International ISBN website located at http://www.isbn-international.org.
  5. Registrant agrees to inform the ISBN registration agency of the ISBNs that will be assigned to forthcoming publications. The information shall include the following minimum metadata (descriptive) elements:
    • Author
    • Title
    • Medium and Format
    • Genre
    • Target Audience
    • Publication Date
    • Price

By issuing ISBN prefixes and ISBNs to Registrant, Bowker agrees as follows:

  1. Bowker hereby warrants that it has the full right, power and authority to assign ISBN prefixes and ISBNs to publishers located in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico, and to determine the number of ISBNs to be assigned.
  2. Bowker hereby warrants that the ISBNs it assigns to Registrant will conform to current International ISBN Agency and International Standards Organization ("ISO") specifications and are fit for the particular purpose of identifying publications pursuant to the recognized ISO standard.
  3. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED HEREIN, BOWKER MAKES NO OTHER WARRANTY, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.
  4. BOWKER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO REGISTRANT FOR ANY LOSS OR INJURY RESULTING FROM ANY USE OF ISBN PREFIXES OR ISBNS BY REGISTRANT OR OTHER PARTIES. BOWKER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO REGISTRANT FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARE FORESEEABLE, WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES ARE DEEMED TO RESULT FROM THE FAILURE OR INADEQUACY OF ANY EXCLUSIVE OR OTHER REMEDY OR WHETHER BOWKER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF SUCH DAMAGES.

Please contact the US ISBN Agency at [email protected] if you have questions about these terms and conditions or the ISBN standards. These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey excluding its conflicts of laws principles. The venue for any litigation arising out of these terms and conditions shall be the state or federal courts located within the State of New Jersey, U.S.A.