Make your work discoverable

The Library can help you get an ISBN for your work if you are publishing through Macquarie University or one of its entities.

What is an ISBN?

ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) and ISSNs (International Standard Serial Numbers) are unique bibliographic reference numbers used to identify individual books, journals, multimedia and other published materials.

An ISBN is not mandatory but it will ensure that your publication is listed in the database Books In Print. The ISBN identifies Macquarie University as the registered publisher. Other libraries, booksellers and distributors around the world use ISBNs for ordering and stock control, so having an ISBN is an important part of making your publication able to be discovered and available for sale.

Macquarie publications

When your work is ready to be published, registering it with an ISBN will help it to be found and purchased. If a Macquarie University entity is publishing the book, or if you are the editor of a collaborative work that is being published by Macquarie University, the Library can help you through the process of getting an ISBN.

The University Library is authorised to allocate ISBNs for Macquarie University monograph publications – books, ebooks, working papers, audiobooks, conference proceedings in print or DVD etc. These ISBNs are purchased in blocks on behalf of the University. There is no cost to the individual requester.

If you need an ISBN barcode for your publication, let us know when completing the form.

An ISBN barcode is the graphical representation of a book’s ISBN. Barcodes are used on physical books, allowing them to be machine read, and facilitating automated sales and inventory tracking – a requirement for most large retailers.

Barcodes will cost the individual requester $45 per barcode.

To request an ISBN for your publication, complete the form below:

Lodging copies with the Library

We ask that you lodge three copies of your publication with the University. You should send:

  • two copies to the Record and Archive Unit, for lodging in the University Archive
  • one copy to the Library Collections and Content Development Team for adding to the Macquarie University Closed Access Collection – University publications.

You must also advise the Library if your publication is to be made freely available online, you can do this on the form in the description or medium sections. The relevant URL will be added into the Library catalogue to accompany the details of the print publication.

Legal deposit

Under federal and state (NSW) legislation, legal deposit is a statutory requirement that applies to published materials. Learn more about legal deposit.

For books, the ISBN should appear on the reverse side of the title page and also on the bottom of the back cover. The letters ISBN should always precede the number eg Rollin Schlicht : a man for all seasons : a retrospective (Book). ISBN 978 1 741383898

For disks and videos, the ISBN should appear on the product itself, as well as on any packaging.

For more information, visit Thorpe-Bowker Identifier Services.

The Library is not authorised to allocate ISBNs for non-Macquarie University publications. For these, contact:

Thorpe-Bowker Identifier Services
T: +61 (3) 8517 8349
E: myidentifiers@thorpe.com.au

An ISSN is required for all ongoing serial titles published in Australia. The National Library of Australia is the only agency authorised to allocate ISSNs for journals, newsletters, annual reports etc. The University Library cannot allocate ISSNs. For these, contact:

ISSN Australia Agency (National Library of Australia).

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