The time has finally come: your thesis is ready to be published! This is quite an achievement!
One of the steps towards publication is the design, including that of the covering, i.e. front cover, spine and dust jacket of your thesis. One thing shouldn’t be missing from this dust jacket: the ISBN barcode. In this blog, we explain to you exactly what an ISBN is, why you need an ISBN for your thesis and how to apply for one.
Do you need an ISBN for your thesis?
Complete the application form online, and receive your unique ISBN within two business days.
What is an ISBN?
ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. In short, it is a 13-digit code that simplifies transactions between booksellers. All books or theses have a unique ISBN, making them easy to find for bookshops, readers, as well as libraries and online booksellers. Each number is made up of a number of fixed components:
- EAN-code: this is the European Article Number that indicates that books are concerned. Currently, this is 978 or 979.
- Country specification: this code indicates which language area the thesis falls under. For the Netherlands and Flanders, this is 978-90 or 978-94.
- Publisher specification: these numbers indicate to which publisher the thesis belongs.
- Title designation: this sequence of up to four digits identifies a particular title.
- Check digit: this digit is created by performing a calculation and ensures that no errors have been made while scanning the ISBN.
Why do I need an ISBN?
At first glance, an ISBN may look like nothing more than a very long string of numbers found on the back of a book or thesis. Yet, it is much more than that! In fact, this code contains all the information about your thesis. You should see it as a big chunk of metadata that makes finding, distributing and selling your thesis much easier. It allows interested parties to find your thesis quickly, and it is also much easier for you to find other people’s theses. An ISBN is even mandatory if you want to sell your thesis; after all, bookshops won’t be able to log it otherwise.
How do you apply for an ISBN at Ipskamp Printing?
Applying for an ISBN isn’t complicated. Just fill in the application form online, and you’ll receive your ISBN by email within two business days. It is important to know the publication date of your thesis when applying. We also ask you to fill in a NUR code. NUR is short for Nederlandstalige Uniforme Rubrieksindeling (Dutch Uniform Genre Classification) and indicates the subject of your thesis. You can also see the NUR code as a genre designation. For example, 922 is the code for biology and 887 for dentistry. You can easily look up the NUR code at boek.nl/nur (unfortunately only in Dutch).
What does an ISBN cost at Ipskamp Printing?
The price for applying for an ISBN by Proefschriften.nl is a one-time fee of €25. We also arrange the contact between you and the customer, i.e. we will contact you when someone is interested in your thesis. You can then send a copy of your thesis to the customer yourself. How convenient!
Do you need an ISBN for your thesis?
Complete the application form online, and receive your unique ISBN within two business days.