Issuance of International Standard Numbers (ISBN and ISSN)

ISBN - stands for the "International Standard Book Number". A 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published nationally and internationally.

The National Library of Uganda Act, 2003 mandates the National Library of Uganda to allocate International Standard Book Numbers and International Standard Serial Numbers to Authors and Publishers. It is always the Publisher or Author of a book who should apply for the ISBN. The Publisher, in this case, is a group, organization, company, or individual responsible for initiating the production of a publication.

Here's why you need an ISBN

ISBN is assigned to text-based monographic publications. Any book made publicly available, whether for sale or on a gratis basis, can be identified by ISBN. It's a product identifier used by publishers, booksellers, libraries, internet retailers, and other supply chain participants for ordering, listing, sales records, and stock control purposes. When used correctly, ISBN allows different product forms and editions of a book or serial, whether printed or digital, to be differentiated clearly, ensuring that customers receive the version that they require; They also facilitate the compilation and updating of book directories and bibliographic databases, such as books-in-print catalogs.

How to apply for an ISBN

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