An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) uniquely identifies your book in catalogs and databases around the world.

Beginning July 2014,  Amazon   requires   ISBN  or EAN (also called  ISBN -13) data for all listings for books published in 1973 or later.

Which imprint option should I choose?

When you choose Empire & Great Jones Little Press we will be listed in databases and at retailers (including Amazon and B&N) as the publisher of record for your book. If you publish through CreateSpace or Amazon KDP, you'll enter "Empire & Great Jones Little Press" as the publisher name. More importantly, when you choose Empire & Great Jones Little Press, we'll request a confidential copy of the manuscript you're planning to publish. This requirement is firm, as it assures all authors who use this imprint that the books published in our name meet our standards of high-quality, broadly-accessible content.

Here's an example (from our Amazon listing for Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume IV) showing how the publisher name will appear:

When you choose Custom Imprint Name , we'll ask you for your imprint name after your purchase is complete. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent booksellers, and other retailers and book databases will list your name (or the name of your small press) as the publisher of your book.

Do I actually need an ISBN?

Maybe not! Or, even if you need an ISBN, you may live in a country other than the United States where ISBNs are more easily available through you local ISBN administrator. 

Here are some great resources for learning about ISBNs and determining whether you need one:

• ISBN 101 For Self-Publishers
• Why You Don’t Need an ISBN

The shortest version of the answer is: If you're only publishing in eBook format and will upload directly to distributors like Kindle, iBookstore, Nook Press, and Kobo, you don't really need an ISBN. If you will release your book in any print format, or both print and eBook, you'll need a unique number for each format. The fact that CreateSpace offers a "free ISBN" option but not a "no ISBN" option is a good indicator of the importance of an ISBN.

How does an ISBN from Empire & Great Jones compare to the CreateSpace options?

According to the CreateSpace ISBN page, the closest option to what we're offering is the Universal ISBN for $99 (or the "Provide Your Own ISBN" which costs as much as $125 when purchased directly from Bowker).

Will you give me a barcode with my ISBN?

If you need a barcode for your ISBN, we recommend finding a free barcode generator—but if you have any trouble, just ask us and we'll help. While the ISBN itself requires a small fee for registration, barcodes generated from your number can be obtained free of cost.

Why are you offering this service?

As a small publisher who releases titles in both print and eBook formats, we definitely need ISBNs for our publications. We've been through the dilemma of whether to spend $25 per ISBN on a block of 10, or $1 per ISBN on a block of 1,000. Obviously, $1 per ISBN makes more sense, but we don't actually need that many numbers right now.

The current pricing structure for ISBNs works well for larger organizations, but it can be prohibitive to small publishers and independent authors—the very people we support as a non-profit. Using our volume purchasing power to buy a block of 100 or 1,000 numbers, then reserving enough for our titles and passing the savings on to you for the remaining numbers, we recoup our necessary cost and provide a benefit to small publishers and independent authors.

Important Notes:

• We recommend contacting us prior to purchasing an ISBN with a quick description of your book and which imprint name you plan to use. This will verify that we can meet your needs and that your intended use meets our standards, and will expedite processing of your order once it's placed.
• If you have not contacted us before your purchase, we will contact you within 24 hours to discuss your book or small press and preferred imprint name.
• To comply with Bowker's ISBN terms of use, you agree that the Empire & Great Jones Creative Arts Foundation is a benevolent and non-interfering parent organization (and not a third party) in relation to ISBNs purchased through this program.
• Even if you select Custom Imprint Name and we assign the ISBNs to you or your press, a deep search of the ISBN will eventually lead to Empire & Great Jones Creative Arts Foundation.
• Because we are putting our name behind you, we strongly recommend investing in professional editing services before publishing with ISBNs purchased through this program.
• You cannot use the Empire & Great Jones Little Press imprint to publish erotica; that imprint already includes titles targeted at middle-grade readers. You must select "Custom Imprint Name" if you plan to publish erotica. We reserve the right to revoke the ISBN and refund your payment if you attempt to publish erotica under the Empire & Great Jones Little Press imprint.
• Direct questions regarding ISBN purchases to [email protected].