Preparation means software at publishers, printers, distributors, retailers, and libraries will require potentially costly updates to expand 10-digit ISBN codes to 13.
It's not unlike the Y2K situation, where databases with 2-digit years had to be updated to 4 digits, Harris says. "Across the publishing house and the supply chain, the 10-digit ISBN is likely to be embedded in a lot of different department [computer] programs and operations. Those will have to be updated."
ISBN Changes Could Cost Publishers
Preparation means software at publishers, printers, distributors, retailers, and libraries will require potentially costly updates to expand 10-digit ISBN codes to 13.
It's not unlike the Y2K situation, where databases with 2-digit years had to be updated to 4 digits, Harris says. "Across the publishing house and the supply chain, the 10-digit ISBN is likely to be embedded in a lot of different department [computer] programs and operations. Those will have to be updated."