Assigning an ISBN Number to your Academic Book

Assigning an ISBN number to your academic book is a straightforward process that comes with many benefits, such as increased visibility and standardised identification. Below we’ll walk you through what an ISBN number is and why you should assign an ISBN number to your academic book.

What is an ISBN number?

Although you might be wondering what an ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is, it’s highly likely that you’ll have come across one before. On the back of each published book, you’ll find a sequence of 13 numbers, which is the ISBN.
This unique sequence of numbers contains metadata about your book. Like how a license plate is used to identify each unique car, a book’s unique ISBN makes it easier for scholars to identify a certain published book. The first three digits indicate the language or country of origin, the next group of digits represent the publisher, and the final group of digits represent the specific book or edition.

The benefits of assigning an ISBN to your academic book

ISBNs are an increasingly popular method of identification and distribution. In the U.S alone, there were 2.9 million registered ISBNs in 2021 within the publishing industry (all sectors).i Assigning your book an ISBN is not a necessity. However, there are great arguments for doing so.
An ISBN is used by retailers and libraries for ordering, listing, categorisation, and stock tracking. By assigning one to your book, you are facilitating the identification and distribution of your book through sales and in public spaces.
An ISBN also means that various editions of your book can be easily differentiated and accessed. Additionally, open access versions of books can be located and downloaded by searching for their ISBN in publishers’ online libraries, a much more targeted and streamlined way of finding the exact edition of the book you need.
In a world where countless books are being produced on a daily basis, it’s important you assign your academic book an ISBN to make your book easier to find and maximise visibility and sales.

How to assign an ISBN to your academic book

Assigning an ISBN to your academic book is a simple and hassle-free process with MDPI Books. Although you can buy your own ISBN, when publishing with MDPI Books your academic book is assigned two ISBNs by the MDPI Books editorial staff (one for the PDF and one for the print version).
Once assigned, we’ll register your ISBN with relevant databases, making your book discoverable to readers, researchers, and institutions worldwide. We’ll then seamlessly integrate your ISBN number into your book's metadata, ensuring it is readily identifiable and searchable by readers and indexing services.
At MDPI Books we have almost 8000 ISBNs for peer-reviewed open access books on subjects such as chemistry, biology, mathematics, engineering, environmental sciences and social sciences. You can locate as well as search for ISBNs here: https://0-www-mdpi-com.brum.beds.ac.uk/books/search
Empower your research and scholarship by assigning an ISBN number with MDPI Books today. Take the first step towards broader visibility, credibility, and impact in the academic community.