My Book Identifiers

If you plan to sell your book in libraries, you'll need an LCCN (Library of Congress Catalog Number). You can order your own through the web site of the Cataloging in Publication Division of the Library of Congress. *Remember, your book must be longer than 50 pages to qualify for an LCCN, so many children's books and others do not apply.

*The Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) is a unique identification number that the Library of Congress assigns to titles most likely to be acquired by the Library of Congress.

*Librarians use the LCCN to access the associated bibliographic record in the Library of Congress's database or to obtain information on various book titles in other databases.  

*The publisher prints the LCCN on the back of the title page in the following manner: "Library of Congress Control Number: 2001012345." 

*Only U.S. book publishers are eligible to obtain an LCCN. To receive an LCCN, publishers must list a U.S. place of publication on the title page or copyright page, and maintain an editorial office in the country that is capable of answering substantive bibliographic questions.

 *There is a $35.00 charge for GP to register your title for you.  As the publisher, we must complete the registration form as well as send 2 copies of the finished book for which the LCCN was pre-assigned.  Books published in electronic form are ineligible for an LCCN.  

*Should you wish to obtain an LCCN on your own, the first step is to complete the Application to Participate and obtain an account number and password, which takes one to two weeks. The application is online at  Application for LCCN. 

We are not an Authorized Agency that sells ISBNs. We only offer those that are assigned to GP (up to 3 days to receive) for half the cost of Personal ISBNs.  Obtaining a Griot ISBN does NOT give us the copyright of your book. This number is only to help identify the publisher and where one can obtain copies of your book. Visit our Copyright page for clarity on copyrights.   

Some of our packages include a GP ISBN, but if not, you can purchase it for $75.00. Only those who publish through us are eligible to purchase one of our ISBN's.  Self publishers or those who are printing their own books must obtain a personal ISBN. We do this because we cannot guarantee the quality of the work not published through Griot Publishing, therefore, we rather not put our number on any books that we have not reviewed.   

What is an ISBN? 

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a 13-digit number that uniquely identifies books and book-like products published internationally.  

What is the purpose of an ISBN? 

The purpose of the ISBN is to establish and identify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisher and is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketing of products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers and distributors.  

What is the format of the ISBN? 

Every ISBN consists of thirteen digits and whenever it is printed it is preceded by the letters ISBN. The thirteen-digit number is divided into four parts of variable length, each part separated by a hyphen.  

Does the ISBN have any meaning embedded in the numbers? 

The four parts of an ISBN are as follows:  1. Group or country identifier which identifies a national or geographic grouping of publishers; 

2. Publisher identifier which identifies a particular publisher within a group; 

3. Title identifier which identifies a particular title or edition of a title; 

4. Check digit is the single digit at the end of the ISBN which validates the ISBN.  

ISBNs cannot be resold or transferred.  Once you obtain a number, whether it is a personal ISBN or a GP ISBN, it can no longer be used.  If you depart from under GP, the number will follow your book title until you obtain a new one at which time GP's number will be retired.   If you choose to obtain a personal ISBN (listing you as the publisher) see below.

Griot Publishing's ISBN & Barcode Combo includes: ✓ Phone Support-Talk to a real person ✓ Author retains ownership and copyright of book, not number ✓ ISBN Assignment-Guaranteed Legitimate and Unique ✓ No Annual Fees ✓ Digital barcode included! (barcode stickers also available)  ✓ Griot International is listed as publisher

• Personal International Standard Book Numbers (ISBN) are unique, identifying numbers that are assigned to books to help them stand out in the crowded world of literature. They help libraries, booksellers, and readers easily locate and purchase specific titles. A personal ISBN is assigned to an individual, rather than a publishing company or organization. This type of ISBN is typically used by self-published authors or small independent publishers who do not have a relationship with a traditional publishing house. Personal ISBNs can be obtained through a number of online services, such as Griot Publishing House or Bowkers.

• These numbers allow you to have control over your own publishing and distribution, giving you the opportunity to have a professional and organized way to present your work to the world.

• Obtaining a personal ISBN is simple and affordable, and it allows you to have complete control over the marketing and distribution of published book. It's a great way to set your book apart and give it the recognition it deserves. So if you're an independent author or just have a small collection of books that you want to organize and share with others, consider getting a personal ISBN. It's a small investment that can go a long way in helping you succeed as a writer. 

To register a work, either Griot Publishing House or yourself can submit a completed application form, a nonrefundable filing fee, which is $45 if you register online or $65 if you register using a paper application; and a nonreturnable copy or copies of the work to be registered.  

U.S. Copyright Office 

101 Independence Avenue SE 

Washington, DC 20559-6000    

(202) 707-3000  

If Griot Publishing processes your application, you will be assessed a processing fee of $45.00. 

We are not an Authorized Agency that sell SANs, but as a Publisher we are able to obtain them from Bowker.  If you desire one, we can apply for one on your behalf.   

The Standard Address Number (SAN) is a unique seven-digit identifier used to signify a specific address of an organization in (or served by) the publishing industry. It is an American National Standard, This system, initiated and maintained by R.R. Bowker, has become THE identification code for electronic communication within the industry.  

It is the method used by PUBNET, X*NET and PubEasy.com systems and is required in all electronic data interchange communications using the Book Industry Systems Advisory Committee (BISAC) EDI formats.  

The SAN itself has no functional meaning -- it merely defines an address. The SAN becomes meaningful only when used for identification of customers for electronic ordering transmission, voice recognition ordering systems, teleordering, for billing or shipping account numbers, etc.  

The use of the SAN significantly reduces the problems faced by other non-standard numbering systems such as billing errors, books shipped to the wrong points, errors in payments and returns.  

Entities using the SAN include book and journal publishers, wholesalers and distributors, book retailers and college bookstores, libraries, schools and universities, as well as paper and cloth manufacturers, printers and binders and others involved in the manufacturing of books and journals.  

International Locations: The U.S. SAN Agency assigns SANs to the United States and Canadian locations and all other locations outside of the US (except Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.).  

For further information and applications contact the SAN Agency at (908) 219-0283  or san@bowker.com.