ISBNs are allocated to monographs, reports, conference proceedings and other one-off publications.
There is no legal requirement for a book to have an ISBN but it helps with identification and will be required if you wish to sell your book through major bookselling chains, or internet booksellers.
If you're publishing through the University, an ISBN can be requested using the form opposite. Publications through commercial publishers will automatically have ISBNs assigned to them.
An ISBN can be obtained before publication from the Nielsen ISBN Store so that it can be printed in the book and quoted in advertising literature. Giving details of the book and ISBN to Nielsen has the great advantage of securing an entry in the weekly publication, The Bookseller, which promotes sales.
The Library can assign an ISBN to in-house publications.
If you want to self-publish outside the University, then you will need to get your own ISBNs.
In the UK the Nielsen ISBN Store handles all applications for new ISBNs.
Any publisher publishing a qualifying product for general sale or distribution may apply on payment of a registration fee.
In return the Agency provides 10 ISBNs. Larger allocations may also be purchased, but it is not possible to obtain a single ISBN.
The standard service time is 10 working days from the time the Agency receives a correctly completed application. There is also a fast-track service, taking 3 working days, for which an additional charge is made.
Publishers are required to provide a copy of every work they publish in the UK to the British Library under the Legal Deposit Libraries Act of 2003 and the Copyright and Related Act, 2000.
If you are publishing through the University, we request that you send a copy of your publication to the Library at the address below, we will then arrange for it to be deposited with the British Library:
Legal Deposit
Hartley Library (Building 36)
University of Southampton
University Road
Highfield
Southampton
SO17 1BJ
There are 5 other legal deposit libraries in the UK who may also request a copy. The Library will send on a digital copy on any libraries who make this request so that they can then offer the publication as print-on-demand.