Just got back from Menara Selborn, Jalan Tun Razak. The National Library offices occupy a few floors and you need to go to the 18th to get an ISBN for books. (The actual Library, where the books are, is further down across the road, and looks as hideous as ever).
I filled out two forms. There were no other clients around. Is no one else publishing books?
It was free and quick; less than 20 minutes. I just needed to give photocopies of the company registration and the book's front cover. So now, it behoves me to say that Malaysian Politicians Say the Darndest Things (Vol 1) has an ISBN:
978-983-43596-0-7
It was all explained for me. The first section refers to the book industry, the second part is Malaysia, the third is Matahari Books, the '0' refers to the fact that it's the company's first book, and '7' is ... something I didn't quite get – something to do with computer code?
As for the barcode, Nizam is enterprising enough to download it based on the number. Yes, aside from the illustrations, he's also doing the layout. Is there no end to his talents?
Oh yes, when the book is published I will then need to give the National Library five copies.
Now I have to fill out another form to get a National Library Catalogue in Publication thing. This is, I suppose, so that it can be shelved according to the right subject. I will need to give the Introduction, Index, Contents page and Synopsis. I am not sure if our Contents page will be much help as it simply has works like "Keling" and "Lipstick" but I will oblige.
Aim to send those over by this evening, as the process takes two days. And the book launch is next month what!
7 comments:
Congratulations on your very first ISBN!
I think the librarians who do the CIPs would probably just depend on the synopsis if the contents aren't of much help. I'm pretty sure weirder stuff have gone through their hands :D
Not download it loh, you need a barcode software to do that (I use and endorse 'Barcode Blitz') ;-)
oh yea ke? i bukannya reti benda2 berteknologi tinggi camni...nasib baik ada nizam...
The last digit is the 'check digit', used to quickly verify that the ISBN has a valid format.
Wikipedia explains it nicely, of course.
ah, thanks :-)
er, is there an e-book of it out?
for those of us not in malaysia at the moment...
Oh, the fearless entrepreneurs behind Matahari Books will make sure it's available in other countries somehow ;-)
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