For Publishers
ISBN Agency for the South Pacific
The ISBN (Regional International Standard Book Number) Agency for the South Pacific is located at USP Library in Suva, Fiji. It is responsible for allocating ISBNs to publications that are published in the South Pacific region.
What is an ISBN?
An International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique number for the identification of books, which is used whenever books need to be recorded or communicated.
Why is an ISBN useful?
This unique number can be used to identify books in orders, stock control and library systems. It simplifies processing of book orders and receipts.
Which publications should receive an ISBN?
An ISBN should be given to printed books and pamphlets with more than four pages, microform publications, computer software, and multimedia kits containing printed material, books on CD/cassettes and maps.
An ISBN should be assigned the first time a book is published. A separate ISBN must be assigned to every edition of a book, but not to an unchanged reprint of the same book.
ISBNs should not be given to: posters, diaries, calendars, advertisements, serial publications, etc.
ISBNs are usually printed on the back of the title page or in another prominent position on the book.
New Publisher Form
If you have not registered with the Regional ISBN Agency before, please complete the form below.
How to obtain an ISBN
If you would like an ISBN for a book that you are publishing, please complete the online form below.
ISSN
An ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) is a unique number which is used to identify a serial title. A serial is a publication whose component parts are published successively under the same title for a period of time. Examples are magazines, journals and newspapers.
An ISSN can be assigned to a serial publication in any format, whether it is printed or in any other medium, e.g. CD-Rom, online, etc.
The ISSN should appear in the top right-hand corner of the front cover or other prominent position on each issue.
If you would like an ISSN for your serial, you will need to contact the International ISSN Centre in Paris, as there in no ISSN Centre for the South Pacific.
Please send your request with a copy of the cover, title page and masthead of the serial to:
International ISSN Centre
20 Rue Bachaumont
75002 Paris
France
Tel: (33 1) 44 88 22 20
Fax: (33 1) 40 26 32 43
URL: http://www.issn.org
E-mail: issnic(at)issn.org
Cataloguing-in-Publication (CiP)
What is CiP?
Cataloguing-in-Publication data is the standard internationally recognised description of a book which is usually found on the reverse of the title page.
Why is CiP useful?
CiP helps advertise your book, increase sales, and because it is internationally accepted, it can be used in publishers’ catalogues, publicity leaflets, and bibliographies.
Libraries are the biggest buyers of books and cataloguing information helps books get onto the shelves faster.
CiP can be requested by printers, publishers, authors and other interested organisations in the South Pacific region.
To prepare a CiP, we need the following information:
- Copy of the title page and the reverse of the title page
- Table of contents page
- Name of the author (editor, compiler, etc.)
- Title and subtitle
- Place, publisher and date of publication
- Total number of pages and illustrations (if any)
- Height of book (in cm.)
- Series (if any)
- Bibliography (give page numbers)
- Keywords/subject terms (if possible) or a short description of the book's topic
How to obtain a CiP
If you would like a CiP for a book that you are publishing, please complete the form below.
Allow five working days for processing. Both the ISBN and CiP service is available free-of-charge. However, we would like to receive a complimentary copy of the publication for the Pacific Collection.
For further information, please contact:
The Librarian (Cataloguing)
The University of the South Pacific Library
Suva, Fiji
Tel: +679 323 2286
Fax: +679 323 1528
E-mail: catalogue(at)usp.ac.fj
