The copyright page is your book’s identification card. At a glance, it tells your book’s publishing history, who published it, and how it can be tracked down in book databases and library catalogs. Here are the elements of a copyright page:
The copyright notice consists of three parts: the symbol ©, the year the book is published, and the name of the copyright owner. Although many publishers use both the word “Copyright” and the symbol ©, there is really no point to doing this. Either form is acceptable.
Copyright 2009 Sherry Roberts.
All rights reserved. Published 2009.
Printed in the United States of America
or
©
2009 Sherry Roberts.
All rights reserved. Published 2009.
Printed in the United States of America
“All rights reserved” ensures protection under the Buenos Aires Convention, to which the United States and most Latin American countries belong.
For more information about copyright notices, read our article “Do I need to register my copyright?”
Publishers often include contact information—a mailing address, phone (optional), and Web site—on the copyright page.
The Cataloging in Publication (CIP) program creates catalog records for forthcoming books most likely to be widely acquired by U.S. libraries. This catalog record (also called CIP data) is used by libraries for ordering and cataloging.
The following are not eligible to participate in the CIP program: self-published books, publishers who have published the titles of fewer than three different authors, e-books, and books printed on demand. If you fall into this category, what are your options?
You can apply for a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN) through the Preassigned Control Number (PCN) program, which is also issued by the Library of Congress and used by libraries for cataloging. Obtaining an LCCN is free, and each book should have an LCCN. Some publishers print only the LCCN on the copyright page in the same place where the CIP data would be printed.
You can purchase a Publisher Cataloging in Publication (P-CIP). This is cataloging data that has been prepared by an agency of the publisher. You must have an LCCN for this. Agencies that prepare P-CIP data charge a fee for the service. Two agencies that offer P-CIP services are Quality Books Inc., Cassidy Cataloguing Services, and The Donohue Group. Since this can be a quicker way to get CIP data, both eligible and ineligible publishers use this service. CIP data prepared by anyone other than the Library of Congress must clearly state at the top of the CIP block: “Publishers Cataloging in Publication.”
How to get CIP data for your book from the Library of Congress:
Apply to the Library of Congress for a Library of Congress Control Number and CIP data. Most applications for CIP data are processed in two weeks but some can take months. CIP data prepared by the Library of Congress must use the words, “Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data,” at the top of the CIP block on the copyright page.
The ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is your book’s identification number. All book databases use the ISBN to track books, and almost every item found in a bookstore has one. ISBNs are essential for sales to bookstores and for listing in the Books in Print directory.
ISBNs are issued in the United States by:
R.R. Bowker
121 Chanlon Road,
New Providence, NJ 07974
Phone 908- 665-6770 / Fax 908-665-2895
To order an ISBN: Request an ISBN application from R. R. Bowker. Return the completed form with your fee. Fee varies according to the number of ISBNs you buy.
Cost:The cost of a block of ISBNs depends on the number you are ordering. Blocks range from 10 numbers to 100,000 or more.
Processing time: Allow 10 business days for non-priority processing from the time an ISBN application is received at the U.S. ISBN Agency (Bowker is an agent of this agency)—not from the date sent by the publisher. Priority processing and express processing are available for an additional fee.
What products need an ISBN: Every edition of your title should have a separate ISBN number. A hardcover copy should have a different ISBN than the softcover. An audio version should have a different number again. ISBNs can be used for any book or book-like product (hardcover, softcover, VHS video, laserdisc, e-book format, audio CD, etc.).
When you need a new ISBN: If you change the cover of your book, or if you make significant changes to the content, you should use a new ISBN. There is some disagreement as to whether you should use a new ISBN when you change the price of a book. However, the Bowker Web site says when the price changes, the original ISBN must be maintained.
Expiration: ISBNs don’t expire.
Placement: ISBNS should be printed on the copyright page as well as the lower right-hand corner of the back cover of softcover books or the upper edge of the left-hand flap on dust jackets. If your product includes a disk or cassette, the ISBN should be printed on the label. Format for the ISBN information is the word “ISBN” and the 13-digit number: ISBN 000-0-000000-00-0.
Registering your ISBN: Once ISBNs have been assigned to products they should be reported to R.R. Bowker as the database of record for the ISBN Agency. Companies are eligible for a free listing in various directories such as Books in Print, Words on Cassette, The Software Encyclopedia, Bowker’s Complete Video Directory, etc. Book titles should be registered with Books in Print.
For more information on ISBN, visit the R.R. Bowker ISBN FAQ.
The International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a numbering system like the ISBN and is assigned to serial publications, such as journals, magazines, yearbooks, and books in a series. The ISBN identifies the individual book in a series; the ISSN identifies the ongoing series. If a publication has both, each should be printed on the copyright page. ISSNs are assigned by the Library of Congress.
The copyright page is also where you note portions of the book that have been previously published, permissions to publish extensive quotations from copyrighted works, special grants and assistance, and photo credits.
Many publishers include a statement on the durability of the paper on which the book is printed. Durability standards for paper, which take into account tear resistance, durability under folding, and longevity, have been established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Acid-free paper has a longer life expectancy. An example of a typical paper durability statement is:
This book is printed on acid-free paper.