About ISBN-13 Resources to help your store prepare for the new 13-digit ISBN On January 1, 2007, the length of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) will officially change from 10 to 13 digits. The American Booksellers Association is providing this list of resources to help booksellers with the transition to the new ISBN. (Please check this page regularly, as it will be updated as additional information becomes available.) Information from the ISBN-13 Task Force As part of its effort to keep booksellers informed about the new ISBN, ABA participates in a special task force that was established by the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) to help the industry with the transition to the 13-digit ISBN. The ISBN-13 Task Force has developed a comprehensive set of information resources about the new ISBN and what industry participants should be doing to prepare for the transition. These resources are all available on BISG's web site (www.bisg.org). The following are links to resources that booksellers should find particularly helpful: General ISBN-13 Information This introductory page provides an overview of why the ISBN is changing, together with links to other resources (including rules on how to convert an ISBN from 10 to 13 digits and links to some online ISBN conversion tools). Retailer Information Page ISBN-13 information specifically for retailers, including an FAQ for booksellers. ISBN-13 for Dummies A comprehensive, easy-to-understand guide that can be downloaded and printed. Are You Ready for ISBN-13? This webinar explains how and why the change to 13 digits is happening. Although some parts of the webinar are directed at publishers rather than retailers, it provides an excellent overview of the issues involved in the transition. (Select the recorded version of the webinar, then "playback," and enter some basic registration information to view the webinar.) ISBN-13 Readiness Directory The Readiness Directory contains checklists detailing the transition plans of individual companies throughout the industry, including POS vendors. Select the link labeled "POS vendors" to see if your vendor has submitted a readiness checklist. If your vendor is listed, click on the vendor's name to view their readiness plans. You should pay attention not just to the vendor's answers, but also to the questions on the checklist, as these provide a good indication of the key issues that the ISBN-13 Task Force believes POS vendors should be addressing. The checklists also provide the appropriate ISBN-13 contact person at each company. (Please note that these checklists are intended to serve as a general guide to each vendor's plans. They are not a substitute for speaking with the vendor.) Links to ISBN-13 resources on BookWeb Bookselling This Week ABA provides regular updates on the transition to the new 13-digit ISBN in Bookselling This Week. Please click here to receive this free online publication. Getting Ready for ISBN-13 Checklist Seven steps to help booksellers sort through the industry-wide transition. Inventory Control Systems Forum This online forum provides a place for booksellers to share information about inventory control systems. (While the forum is an appropriate place to ask about specific issues that other booksellers have encountered -- including issues concerning the transition to the new 13-digit ISBN, information provided by other booksellers is entirely their own opinion and is not necessarily accurate or endorsed by ABA.) Help and advice from ABA Booksellers with questions or concerns about the new ISBN should contact David Walker, who represents ABA on the ISBN-13 Task Force and is available to provide assistance to booksellers. Walker can be contacted by e-mail at davidw@bookweb.org or by telephone at (800) 637-0037, extension 6612. Topics: News - Bookselling,