BISG to Offer ISBN-13 "Webinars"

On January 1, 2007, the ISBN agency will begin issuing 13-digit ISBNs; publishers must assign only 13-digit ISBNs to their books; and retailers' POS systems must accept 13-digit ISBNs. To help book industry professionals navigate the switch from the 10-digit to the 13-digit ISBN, the Book Industry Study Group (BISG) will be holding online seminars, or "webinars," designed to unravel the complexities of the ISBN transition.

The hour-long sessions will cost $35 and will cover why the change is being implemented and what actions to take, among other issues. Sessions are being held on Tuesday, June 28, at 2:00 p.m. (EST) and Wednesday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m. (EST).

BISG has also made a PDF document available, "ISBN-13 for Dummies," published by Wiley, which addresses what an ISBN is, transitioning to the ISBN-13, becoming ISBN-13 compliant, and more. To access "ISBN-13 for Dummies" and an FAQ about issues related to the ISBN-13 transition, and to register for the webinars, go to bisg.org or contact BISG at (646) 336-7141 or [email protected].