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Position:Home>Books & Authors> Does each book have a unique ISBN #?Question: Does each book have a unique ISBN #!? Well, school is almost starting, and I am buying textbooks online, but I know the only way I can get the correct textbook is to know the actual ISBN number!. So I was wondering if each book has its own unique ISBN number!? Will the same book, but with different edition have the same ISBN #!? There are two ISBN numbers shown on the book, can I get the book online by typing either of them on amazon!.com or half!.com!? Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Yes, each edition should have a unique ISBN!. An exception that won't affect your purchase of textbooks is older books, which don't have ISBNs at all!. If there are two ISBNs, it's either that the publisher has given both an 11-number and a 13-number ISBN; either one will get you to your book!. The other possibility is that the publisher will list both the hardcover and paperback ISBNs but will say which is which!. The Amazon page will also tell you!. One word of caution: Amazon is pretty strict about resellers listing books under the right ISBN, but half!.com isn't, and on either site you might run into a different edition listed by a reseller!. Make sure you read the description of the book by the reseller--most of them will say if it's a different edition (and also things like whether it's highlighted, written in, torn, etc!.)!. If you have any doubt, email them and ask!. Your last resort is to leave negative feedback if someone sends you the wrong edition, but please make sure they've done something wrong before leaving negative feedback--it's very damaging to resellers on Amazon!. Good luck!Www@QuestionHome@Com http://en!.wikipedia!.org/wiki/ISBN Went to Wiki to get absolute fact, like that ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number, that they are "unique" for every commercial book, and that since Jan!. 1, '07, the numbers have been 13 digits long!.!.!. before that they were 10 digits long!. If a book has been reissued, that is why you may see both!. Magazines get numbers too, an International Standard Serial Number(s), ISSN!. My source is through the link above, if you want to read it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Yes each text book is supposed to have its own ISBN!. It is usually easier to search by ISBN-13!. What I always do is make sure that the Copyright date, and edition are correct before I buy!. Sometimes sellers put up the ISBN of previous editions!. It can be hard to search just by ISBN because the results aren't all ways accurate so I like to refer to the publishers website to make sure everything matches up!. Example search: Java: Introduction to Problem Solving and Programming 5/E Then if its found I go to details and make sure the ISBN matches up!. I just got a $150 book published in early 2008 for $60 from Amazon!.com so I'd check them out also!. On the other hand I couldn't find any of my books on half!.com!.Www@QuestionHome@Com Hmmmm!.!.I'm not exactly sure, but I think that a certain book has the same ISBN #!. For instance!. See Spot Run-classic edition-123 See Spot Run-gold edition-453 See Spot Run-literate edition-686 See Spot Run-repetitive edition-955 And so on and so forth!. I needed to buy a book, but it had to have the right ISBN number so I had the same exact book as everyone else!. Best of luck, my friend! Www@QuestionHome@Com Every book had a different ISBN, even if it is the same book, but different edition/cover/size!. There are sometimes 2 ISBNs on the back of books, type in any one you want, you will get the same result!. :)Www@QuestionHome@Com Yes, although books by the same publisher will have beginning numbers that match!. ISBNs are assigned from the Library of Congress on a per book basis!.Www@QuestionHome@Com yes each book is supose to!.Www@QuestionHome@Com |