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My first picture book was published by an independent publisher. This time I want to do it all by myself. I am thinking in to send it to print to Lighting source and use Ingram but what I don't know is anything about the bar code and ISBNs. Where do I buy them and how much would it cost me? An also do I have to register it on Copyright? Please help me, thank you :)

You can purchase ISBNs here:

https://www.myidentifiers.com/get-you...

To register with the US copyright office, you will need to open an account here:

https://www.copyright.gov/

Good luck.

Thank you, I’ll check it out.

Bar Codes: I've never had to purchase a bar code for my books. The cover designers just leave an open space in the corner where Createspace or Lightning Source add the bar code.

ISBNs: Buying individual ISBNs is way more expensive than buying in bulk. I bought a pack of 10 but soon ran out and kicked myself for not having bought the 100 pack. You need a separate ISBN for each format (epub, mobi, paperback, hardback) and edition (first, second, third) so that a single book could have 5 or more ISBNs. If you are planning to publish more in the future, maybe consider buying a bulk pack to save $.

If you publish with Createspace instead of Lightning Source, Createspace will provide you with a free ISBN that can only be used through them.

Copyright: Registering copyright is not necessary but could add slightly more protection if the book is involved in a lawsuit. I do Mandatory Deposit (sending 2 copies of the book to the Library of Congress) and a copyright page in my books, but I have not done the official registration.

Thank you for the tips that would save me a lot of money .

For the official registration, if you are the only contributor to your book it is $35 for copyright. As far as Createspace, I recommend buying ISBNs if you can. They are undergoing some changes and having your own ISBNs will make it easier to move your books to another platform if you have to. Just a suggestion though. Good luck!

Thank you Erica, these comments are very helpful.