Look up any book by ISBN in the US market. Verify your Bowker-registered ISBNs, check competitor metadata, and confirm your book's listing across American library and retail databases.

ISBN Systems in the United States

The United States uses the ISBN system administered by Bowker (myidentifiers.com), the sole authorised ISBN agency for the US market. US ISBNs begin with the 978-0 or 978-1 prefix group (shared with other English-language countries). A single ISBN costs $125, a block of 10 costs $295, and 100 ISBNs cost $575. Bowker also offers barcode generation and metadata registration as paid add-on services.

Every edition, format, and binding of a book requires its own ISBN. Your ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook editions each need separate ISBNs. If you publish through Amazon KDP, note that Amazon provides free ASINs for Kindle ebooks but does not supply ISBNs — you must obtain those separately from Bowker if you want an ISBN on your ebook. For KDP paperbacks, Amazon provides a free ISBN, but it lists Amazon's imprint rather than your own.

The Library of Congress maintains the largest bibliographic database in the United States. While self-published books are not eligible for the Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) programme, you can obtain a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) through the Preassigned Control Number programme at pcn.loc.gov. Having both an ISBN and LCCN improves your book's visibility in US library acquisition systems and academic databases.

Books in Print (BIP), also operated by Bowker, is the definitive US bibliographic database used by bookshops, libraries, and distributors to discover and order titles. When you register your ISBN with Bowker and submit your metadata, your book appears in BIP. This is separate from Amazon's catalogue — many independent US bookshops and library systems rely on BIP rather than Amazon for title discovery. Accurate metadata in BIP directly affects your discoverability outside the Amazon ecosystem.

For US authors verifying their ISBNs, use the lookup tool above to confirm that your metadata appears correctly in the Open Library database. Cross-reference with Bowker's own ISBN search at isbn.org. Common issues include mismatched author names (initials vs full names), incorrect publisher names, and outdated edition information. Keeping your bibliographic metadata consistent across all platforms — Bowker, Amazon, IngramSpark, and library databases — is essential for avoiding supply chain confusion.

Free Tool — United States

ISBN Lookup for US Authors

Look up any book by ISBN in the US market. Verify your Bowker-registered ISBNs, check competitor metadata, and confirm your book's listing across American library and retail databases.

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About this tool

This tool searches multiple book databases including Google Books and Open Library to retrieve book information.

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ISBN Systems in the United States

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about ISBN numbers, book identification, and lookups

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique 10 or 13-digit identifier assigned to published books. ISBN-13s start with 978 or 979, while ISBN-10s are the older 10-digit format used before 2007. Every edition and format of a book has its own unique ISBN.

ISBN-10 is the older format with 10 digits, used before January 2007. ISBN-13 is the current standard with 13 digits, starting with 978 or 979. Both identify the same book, and ISBN-10s can be converted to ISBN-13 by adding 978 and recalculating the check digit.

Check the book's back cover near the barcode, the copyright page (verso), or the book's retail listing on Amazon or bookstores. Ebooks also have ISBNs, typically listed on the copyright page or product details.

Yes, you can search by title or author on sites like Amazon, Google Books, or Open Library. However, ISBN provides the most accurate results since it's a unique identifier for each specific edition.

Yes, each edition and format of a book gets its own ISBN. A paperback, hardcover, and ebook version of the same title each have different ISBNs. Updated editions and reprints with significant changes also receive new ISBNs.

Yes, each format requires its own ISBN. A Kindle ebook, EPUB ebook, paperback, and hardcover of the same book all need separate ISBNs. Note that Amazon's ASINs are different identifiers and not the same as ISBNs.

Add the prefix "978" to the ISBN-10 (dropping the original check digit), then calculate the new check digit using modulo 10. Our tool automatically shows both ISBN-10 and ISBN-13 formats when available in the database.

This tool searches Google Books and Open Library. Most published books including self-published and KDP titles are covered. If a book isn't found in either database, it may be too new or not yet indexed — try searching major retailers like Amazon or the publisher's website.

It depends on your distribution goals. Amazon KDP provides free ASINs, but ISBNs are required for libraries, bookstores, and wide distribution. Owning your own ISBN gives you more control as the official publisher of record.

In the US, ISBNs cost $125 for one, $295 for 10, or $575 for 100 through Bowker (the official US ISBN agency). In the UK, ISBNs cost £89 for one, £164 for 10 through Nielsen. Many self-publishing platforms offer free or discounted ISBNs, though you may not be listed as the publisher.

Need help with ISBNs for your self-published book?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about ISBN numbers, book identification, and lookups

Yes, you can search by title or author on sites like Amazon, Google Books, or Open Library. However, ISBN provides the most accurate results since it's a unique identifier for each specific edition.

Need help with ISBNs for your self-published book?

Explore our publishing services