A book is known by features like (i) a book has an author, (ii) a book has a publisher, (iii) a book is a priced publication, (iv) the book is available to all and sundry who pay for it, (v) the book does not have a memorandum of understanding, (vi) there is no confidentiality about the book, (vii) a book has a subject to deal, with, (viii) the pages are serially numbered and neatly bound, and (iv) last but not the least, it should have ISBN Code i.e. International Standard Book Number.”
The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is a unique International Publisher’s Identifier number, which is meant for monograph publications. ISBN is the thirteen-digit number, which replaces the handling of long bibliographic descriptive records. ISBN is known throughout the world as a short and clear machine-readable identification number, which marks any book unmistakably. ISBN is a machine readable in the form of 13-digit i.e. Book land EAN Bar Code.
It is in the form of 13 digits, consisting of 5 elements separated by spaces and hyphens ex. ISBN No. 978-81-8038-835-4 indicates following information:
- Â Ist element- Denotes a specified prefix element (978).
- Â IInd element- Identifies the particular country or geographical area (81).
- Â IIIrd element- Identifies the particular publisher (8038).
- Â IVth element- Identifies the particular edition, format of a specific title (835).
- Â Vth element- Check digit (4).
Products which do not qualify for ISBN
- Â Serials/periodicals/journals (these are suitable for ISSN)
- Journals, record books
- Â Videos, DVDs or other media for entertainment
- Documentaries on video/CD-ROM, DVD or other media
- Â Computer games
- Â Computer application packages
- Music scores
- Â Items available to a restricted group, e.g. a course book only available to students on the course
- Websites
- Non text-based publications
Our attention was also invited by the learned counsel to dictionary meaning of the word ‘Book’.
 In the Penguin English Dictionary, it is stated;
“Book is a set of written, printed, or blank sheets bound together into a volume.”
 The Concise Oxford Dictionary, defines ‘book’ as “a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and bound in covers; a main division of a literary work or of the Bible; a set of records or accounts; a book maker’s record of bets accepted and money paid out; a set of tickets, stamps, matches, etc. bound together….”
 According to the New Webster’s Dictionary,
‘Book’ means “A writing or document; a written or printed work of some length, as a treatise or other literary composition, esp. on sheets fastened or bound together; a volume; cap. the Bible. A libretto; a division of a literary work, esp. one of the larger divisions; a record of bets, as on a horse-race; any collection of sheets fastened or bound together; a number of sheets bound together and used for making entries, as of commercial transactions; a pile or package of leaves, as of tobacco; a trick at cards, or a number of cards forming a set; bridge, six tricks taken by one side.”
 According to Words and Phrases (Permanent Edition), “A “book”, in its popular sense, is understood to be a volume, bound or unbound, written or printed.”
Raja Ram Mohan Roy National Agency for ISBN is responsible for ISBN registration in the country and is affiliated to UK based International Agency.