5.9 Publications sold or distributed by agents

(Except for a. and c., this applies only to countries that are not yet participating in the

system) 

a.  As the ISBN standard states, a particular edition published by a particular publisher

receives only one ISBN. This ISBN must be retained no matter where, or by whom,

the publication is distributed or sold.

b.  A publication imported by an exclusive distributor or sole agent from an area that is

not in the ISBN system and has no ISBNs assigned to it may be assigned an ISBN by

the exclusive distributor. 

c.  Publications imported by an exclusive distributor or sole agent to which a new title

page, bearing the imprint of the exclusive distributor, has been added in place of the

title page of the original publisher are to be given a new ISBN by the exclusive

distributor or sole agent. The ISBN of the original publisher should also be given. 

d.  A publication imported by several distributors from an area not in the ISBN system

and that has no ISBNs assigned to it may be assigned an ISBN by the group agency

responsible for those distributors.

5.10 Acquisition of one publisher by another

A publisher acquiring another publishing house can continue to use the originally assigned

ISBN.

5.11 Acquisition of complete stock of and rights in publication

A publisher acquiring the complete stock of and rights to a publication(s) can continue to

use the originally assigned ISBN until the new company reprints or reissues the publication

under that company's own ISBN registrant element. 

5.12 Publishers with more than one place of publication

a.  A publisher operating in several places that are listed together in the imprint of a

publication must assign only one ISBN to that publication.

b.  A publisher operating separate and distinct offices or branches in different places may

have a registrant element for each office or branch. However, each publication is to be

assigned only one ISBN by the office or branch responsible for the publication.

5.13 Register of ISBNs and accompanying metadata

It is the responsibility of the publishers to inform their group agency, or the organisation

responsible for the maintenance of publication registration, of the ISBNs that will be

assigned to forthcoming publications. The information shall include some minimum

metadata (descriptive) elements and shall be compatible with the ONIX International

product information standards maintained by EDItEUR and its associated organisations:

Data element

Comments

ONIX element(s)

ISBN

In the 13 digit ISBN format

Product form 

Coding that indicates the

medium and/or format of the

product

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