CIRCULAR

ON MANAGEMENT AND USE OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BOOKS NUMBER

Pursuant to the Law on Publishing dated November 20, 2012;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 195/2013/ND-CP dated November 21, 2013 on guidelines for the Law on Publishing;

Pursuant to the Government's Decree No. 132/2013/ND-CP dated October 16, 2013 defining functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Information and Communications;

At the request of Director of Department of Publishing, Printing and Release;

The Minister of Information and Communications promulgates a Circular on management and use of International Standard Books Number.

Chapter I

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Article 1. Scope and regulated entities

1. This Circular provides guidelines for issuance, management, requirements, location, size, colors and display of International Standard Books Number (hereinafter referred to as ISBN).

2. This Circular applies to the following entities:

a) Department of Publishing, Printing and Release;

b) Publishers.

Article 2. Responsibilities of authority in charge of ISBNs

1. Department of Publishing, Printing and Release is the authority in charge of ISBNs in Vietnam which issues, manages and revokes ISBNs.

2. Annually, Department of Publishing, Printing and Release shall send reports on the usage of ISBNs in Vietnam and pay fees for an international ISBN agency.

3. According to the use of ISBNs of publishers, Department of Publishing, Printing and Release must make plans for assignment of ISBN, make requests for adjustment and supplement of ISBNs to an international ISBN agency when necessary.

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Publishers shall send reports on the use of issued ISBNs and unused ISBNs before March 31 of the year succeeding the year in which the ISBNs are issued to Department of Publishing, Printing and Release.

Article 4. Subjects of ISBN

Each publisher must assign ISBNs to books or book-related materials, inclusive of maps, electronic books and Braille books (hereinafter referred to as books).

Chapter II

CREATION AND USE OF ISBNs

Article 5. Rules for creation and use of ISBNs

1. Each ISBN created and used in Vietnam is an ISBN-13 that is encoded into an EAN-13 barcode and satisfies the following requirements:

a) It is readable by a barcode reader (machine or software);

b) It contains information about the book prescribed in Clause 1 Article 6 of this Circular;

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d) It conforms to international practices and complies with Vietnamese laws.

2. Each publisher shall create and use barcodes into which ISBNs are encoded itself.

Article 6. Data integrated with ISBNs

1. Each ISBN encoded into an EAN-13 barcode must contain:

a) Name of publisher;

b) Name of book;

c) Name of author, translator (for translated book);

d) Year of publication;

dd) Framework, number of pages;

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d) Summary of contents, theme, topic;

h) Number of publication registration certification of Department of Publishing, Printing and Release;

i) Number of publication decision of the publisher;

k) Number of prints, name and address of printing facility (for printing books);

l) Capacity (byte), format, website address or name of supplier (for electronic book);

m) Name and address of cooperation partner (if any);

n) Selling price (if any).

2. Apart from the information prescribed in Clause 1 of this Article, the publisher may create a separate database to connect the ISBN during the encoding into the barcode. General Director (Director) of publisher shall be answerable to the contents of such database.

Article 7. Location and display of ISBNs

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a) Each ISBN encoded in a barcode must appear on the lower section of the outside back cover. If the book has the dust jacket/wrapper, ISBNs must appear on the jacket/wrapper;

b) Each ISBN must be displayed immediately above the barcode, preceded by “ISBN” and succeeded by the elements that must each be clearly separated by hyphens. The below serial number must coincide with the above serial number without hyphens (as shown).

In addition, the ISBN in digit must be displayed on the foot of the page display number of publication decision (hereinafter referred to as “copyright page”) (similar with the serial number as shown above);

c) In the case of multi-volume books: At the foot of the copyright page of each volume, the ISBNs in digit of other volumes must be displayed (published volumes),

d) In the case of translated books: At the foot of the copyright page, the ISBN in digit of the original book must be displayed (if any);

dd) In case of books published in different forms: At the foot of the copyright page of each form, the ISBNs in digit of other forms must be displayed (published),

2. In the case of electronic books:

a) Regarding books published on the Internet or other electronic means:  Each ISBN encoded in barcode must appear on the first display, title display or on the screen that displays the copyright notice;

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Article 6. Requirements for EAN-13 barcodes into which ISBNs are encoded

1. Size:

a) The standard size of the barcode is 22.85 x 31.35 mm. If the barcode height is reduced, it must be identified by barcode readers;

b)  If the barcode placement is narrow both two dimensions, it may be reduced provided that the reduced size is not smaller than 80% of the original size;

c) In case of magnification of barcode, the magnified size is not greater than 200% of the original size.0}

2. The minimum left space of an ISBN is 3.63 mm; the minimum right space of an ISBN is 2.31 mm.

3. Color:

a) The standard barcode shall be printed in black on a white background. In addition, a barcode may be printed in deep blue or deep brown. The barcode is not printed in yellow, green or red. The barcode shall be printed in single color; overprinting colors or “t’ram” printing is unacceptable;

b) The background of a standard barcode is white. Besides, the background is yellow, orange or light pink is acceptable.

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ISSUANCE AND REVOCATION OF ISBNs

Article 9. Rules for issuance of ISBN

1. Each book falling in any of the following cases shall be issued a separate ISBN:

a) Initially published books;

b) Reprinted books with modifications;

c) Books that are in multiple languages and each is printed in every language;

d) Books of the same contents published in other forms (printed books with hardcover, printed books with soft cover, books with discs, electronic books, Braille books);

e) Books with the same contents excluding any of the data prescribed in Clause 1 Article 6 of this Circular (exclusive of prices).

2. An ISBN issued to a title of book shall not be changed or reissued to another title of book.

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Article 10. Methods of issuing ISBNs

Department of Publishing, Printing and Release shall issue ISBNs enclosed with certification of registration for publishing to each title of book.

Article 11. Revocation of ISBNs

1. Department of Publishing, Printing and Release shall revoke issued ISBNs that are not used properly as prescribed.

2. Methods of revoking ISBNs: Each publisher shall return its issued ISBNs through an annual report as prescribed in Article 3 of this Circular.

Chapter IV

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 12. Effect

1. This Circular comes into force from August 1, 2016.

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3. Difficulties that arise during the implementation of this Circular should be reported to the Ministry of Information and Communications (via Department of Publishing, Printing and Release) for consideration./.

MINISTER




Nguyen Bac Son