|
Document
Library: Standards:
Bar Coding
Bar
Coding Guidelines for the U.S. Book Industry
The following information was prepared by BISAC's Machine
Readable Coding (MRC) Committee. The information
was revised in November 2006 to include more explicit instructions
for bar code placement on Cover 2 of mass market paperbacks.
Click
here for a list of bar code suppliers.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
ISBN-13
Considerations
The ISBN-13 standard, an
extensive revision of the original 10-digit ISBN standard, took effect
on January 1, 2007.
The new 13-digit code is
exactly equivalent to the Bookland EAN, so although the way the bar
codes are presented on books has changed do to the ISBN-13 transition
(e.g., with the human-readable ISBN-13 printed above the bar code
rather than the human-readable ISBN-10), the expression of the ISBN
within the Bookland EAN bar code has remained the same.
The
History -- What is BISAC’s role in bar coding?
BISG has for many years relied on the BISAC Machine Readable Coding
(MRC) Committee to lead the
organization’s bar code-related activities.
In 1984, for example, MRC was appointed by
BISAC to undertake a study and submit recommendations for a product
identification code and symbol to be used on book covers and jackets.
As a result of the study, BISAC recommended
that book identification and bar coding be based on the Universal
Product Code (U.P.C.) and the International Article Number (EAN),
through the Bookland EAN. In 1985, BISAC published Machine-Readable
Coding Guidelines for the U.S. Book Industry; these were updated in
1990.
Current Status
In 2003 the MRC was asked to further update
and revise these guidelines in view of the changes in application of
the ISBN, U.P.C. and EAN coding structures. The recommendations
resulting from this latest study are the subject of this section.
How
did product bar coding originate? The U.P.C. and EAN
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a variety
of different approaches were tried for machine-readable identification
of products, with emphasis on data capture at point of sale.
The system of numbering and bar coding that
ultimately became the standard originated in the grocery
industry. It is known as the Universal Product Code, or U.P.C.
Universal Product Code
(U.P.C.)
GS1(formally the Uniform Code Council)
administers the U.P.C. system. The U.P.C. has now been adopted
throughout general retailing, and it is used at many points in the
supply chain besides point of sale. It is a system that identifies each
item with a unique 12-digit code, consisting of a variable length
supplier identifier (Company Prefix) and a variable length product
number, and a check digit.
International Article
Number (EAN)
The U.P.C. concept (which covers the U.S. and
Canada only) was subsequently adapted for use by other countries under
a system called International Article Numbering (originally named
European Article Number and still using the initials
EAN). Under the EAN system an additional leading 13th digit is
derived from the parity pattern of the original twelve
digits. All countries other than the U.S. and Canada were
assigned a 2- or 3-digit "country code" to distinguish each nation's
manufacturers and products from every other.
The number set zero [0] was assigned to the
U.P.C. Thus the 12-digit U.P.C. in the U.S. and Canada is a
subset of, and fully compatible with, the 13-digit EAN by the addition
of the zero prefix.
Why do books need
to be bar coded?
Most major bookstores have
electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems which enable them to keep track
of their sales and stocks and to reorder books by scanning the bar code.
Most retailers refuse to accept
books which are not bar coded. In addition, many distributors make use
of bar codes in their warehouse systems.
What
is a Bookland EAN, and how is it used in bar codes?
In 1980, agreement was reached between the EAN
Authority and the International ISBN Agency to assign a specific
3-digit prefix to a fictitious country designated as
"Bookland". The country codes 978 and 979 were reserved for
this “country” to encode the ISBN.
The Bookland EAN code and symbol is comprised
of 13 digits incorporating the ISBN plus a separate 5-digit add-on, for
a total of 18 digits. This symbol is the machine-readable
symbol of choice for all published books.
Bookland
EAN (with Price Add-On)
When printed, the Bookland EAN symbol is to be
positioned at the bottom of Cover 4 (the back cover or jacket). The
ISBN, preceded by the letters ISBN, is to appear in human-readable
form, 9 point or larger font, above the bar code.
The Bookland EAN symbol may also appear on
Cover 2 (inside front cover) of mass-market paperback books to be used
by retailers and/or distributors for returns processing.
Note #1:
The literal "EAN" may be included to the right
or left of the bar code at the publisher's discretion. For more
information, please see:
Should
I print the letters "EAN" next to my bar code? See
"Where
are bar codes to be printed on books?"
for further information on the placement of Bookland EAN on books.
Note
#2:
Although
the Bookland EAN is the bar code of choice for books in all
formats, some related products (i.e. games, art prints, entertainment
DVDs, wall calendars intended primarily for time management purposes)
may need to carry a U.P.C. bar code instead. In either case, BISG
recommends that only one bar code be placed on books and related
products. Recommendations as as to which bar code -- Bookland EAN or
U.P.C. -- should be assigned to specific products is included in
BISG Policy Statement POL-0701: Elimination of Dual Identifiers on
Books and Related Products downloadable from
http://www.bisg.org/documents/policies.html.
Conversions and
Calculations
It is sometimes necessary to convert 10-digit
ISBNs to Bookland EANs, to retrieve a 10-digit ISBN from a Bookland EAN
beginning with ‘978’, or to check an identifier to
confirm that the number is valid.
Algorithms have been developed for these
conversions and checks. These algorithms are shown in the
Conversions
& Calculations section of this Web site.
They may be accessed as indicated below.
Please note
There is no 10-digit ISBN equivalent for
Bookland EANs beginning with ‘979’.
Click on a link below to
access the calculations:
What
are Bookland EAN “add-on” codes, and how do
you use them?
Price Encoded in the Add-On
As requested by some retailers, the
supplemental 5-digit add-on symbol may be used to encode cover price.
Guidelines for its use have been revised and expanded to encode cover
prices up to US$ 499.99.
As in the past, a leading digit (Currency
Indicator) of “5” designates prices from US$ 00.01
(50001) to US$ 99.98 (59998).
The number 59999 was previously used to
indicate a cover price greater than US$ 99.98. Thus, at this time, the
cover price US$ 99.99 cannot be encoded.
Prices from US$ 100.00 to US$ 499.99 are to be
encoded with significant numbers, i.e., 10000 to 49999. At
this time the numbers 60000 to 89999 have no significance and
meaning.
| Add-on Data |
Pricing
Interpretation |
Comments |
| 50001 > 59998 |
US$ 0.01 > US$
99.98 |
Previously Existing Rules |
| 59999 |
Price is not encoded and
is understood to exceed US$ 99.98. (Note: A price of US$
99.99 cannot be encoded.) |
This value indicates a price greater than
US$ 99.98 and not encoded in the add-on, whether the price is within
the expanded range or not. |
| 10000 > 19999 |
US$ 100.00 > US$
199.99 |
New increased range |
| 20000 > 29999 |
US$ 200.00 > US$
299.99 |
New increased range |
| 30000 > 39999 |
US$ 300.00 > US$
399.99 |
New increased range |
| 40000 > 49999 |
US$ 400.00 > US$
499.99 |
New increased range |
Other add-on options
(Bookland EAN)
The range of numbers between 90000
and 99999 has been reserved for industry-wide use. It is
recommended that publishers use the add-on 90000 if they are not
encoding the US$ cover price or there is no cover price.
Within this range BISAC has assigned numbers
99990 through 99999 to the National Association of College Stores
(NACS) for use by college bookstores. NACS has specified the
add-on 99990 for used books and 99991 for desk copies.
| 00000 |
None Designated |
Do not Use |
| 50000 |
None Designated |
Do not Use |
| 60000 > 89999 |
None Designated |
Ignore for pricing |
| 90000 |
No cover price or no
price encoded |
Ignore for pricing |
| 90001 > 99989 |
Reserved for future
industry-wide use to be determined |
Ignore for pricing |
| 99990 > 99999 |
Assigned to NACS |
Ignore for pricing |
What
are the considerations for books to be sold by general retailers?
Although almost all traditional booksellers
have adopted and use the Bookland EAN, grocery stores and other general
retailers have used the U.P.C. exclusively. To accommodate general
retailers who sell books, publishers have printed U.P.C.s in addition
to, or in place of, Bookland EAN bar codes on books.
Under an initiative known as 2005 Sunrise,
general retailing is now expanding their systems to use the full EAN.
Thus, the printing of U.P.C.s on books is being phased out since all
retailers will be able to use Bookland EANs. To
view
what's happening and when, click
here.
Also see:
BISG Policy Statement POL-0701: Elimination of
Dual Identifiers on Books and Related Products downloadable
from
http://www.bisg.org/documents/policies.html.
Elimination of dual bar
coding - using only the Bookland EAN
Some general retailers have managed all their
inventories, books and non-books alike, using item-specific coding.
This means that the number encoded in the bar
code identifies the specific title of the book or name of a non-book
product.
Since these retailers could not use the
13-digit Bookland EAN, they have requested that price point specific
U.P.C.s be placed on books in addition to the Bookland EANs.
Although this practice enabled general
retailers to manage inventory, it has been a source of confusion to
both general retailing and bookselling. It has also resulted in
additional cost and a requirement that publishers assign two different
identifiers to the same book.
As noted above, this practice is being phased
out; and Bookland EAN will be the only bar code used on books.
Replacing Price Point
U.P.C. on mass market and juvenile titles
The U.P.C. bar code on mass market paperbacks
and some juvenile books has been a special case, in that it did not
identify the book.
The supermarket industry, developer of the
U.P.C., cited the fact that the flow of books into the stores was
controlled by wholesaler/jobbers; and the volume of new titles
published each month created a file maintenance and update problem.
Thus the UCC adopted Guideline 21 allowing a
price-point variation from item-specific U.P.C. for coding mass-market
paperback books.
Only the publisher (Company Prefix) and the
price were represented in the basic U.P.C. symbol.
Subsequently the wholesalers developed a supplemental 5-digit add-on
symbology to encode the book title.
As with dual bar coding, the price-point
U.P.C. alternative for mass-market paperback books and some juvenile
books will be discontinued, as the retailers who request it become able
to scan Bookland EAN.
Can
I use my computer and laser printer to generate bar codes?
Yes. Bar coding software packages
are available for both the book code and binders pack code. Care must
be taken to ensure that these meet industry specifications, that the
ISBN is validated by the check-digit algorithm, and that the EAN-13 is
automatically generated from the ISBN entry.
In
the case of ISBN-13, the EAN-13 will be the identical number but
without hyphenation.
Although laser output from a
well-maintained printer will scan successfully it is not recommended
for use as a master from which copies are subsequently taken due to the
degradation of image quality which usually results from the various
copying and film duplication process.
Of course, if generating your
own bar codes is something you'd rather not
worry about, you can always have a bar code supplier generate the bar
codes for you. [See Bar Code Suppliers
for supplier
contact information]
What
must be considered when printing the Bookland EAN Symbol?
This
section is intended as a practical working guide to printing the bar
code symbol. It does not replace published standards of EAN.UCC that
include exact specifications and tolerances for size, color reflectance
and print quality. [See
Further
Sources of Information for organizations supplying
these specifications and standards.]
Bar code
symbols are images created by specialized computer programs.
These programs may be purchased or the image on a film (Film Master) or
on a disk from vendors specializing in this area. These vendors are
experienced in providing the appropriate size symbol for the paper and
press to be used to print the cover or jacket.
Bar
Code Size
The
Bookland EAN symbol is printed on Cover 4 (the back cover) of all books
and on Cover 2 (inside front cover) of strippable paperbacks. The
symbol, which always includes the 5-digit add-on, is 1" high x 2-3/16"
wide at 100% magnification. At 80% magnification the overall size is
approximately 13/16" high x 1-3/4" wide. Magnification may be
any size between 80% and 200%. For offset printing it should
not be necessary to print larger than 100%. (NOTE: Width is measured
with a 3/32 inch "quiet zone" on either side of bars. Height
is measured from the top of the bars to the bottom of the numbers below
the bars.)
The price
add-on is included as part of the Bookland EAN bar code since the ISBN
does not change when the price of the book is changed. When
there is a human readable price on the book, and the price is correctly
encoded in the add-on bar code, scanning the complete symbol (including
the add-on) at point of sale and using the data assures that the price
charged a consumer matches the human-readable price.
Quiet
Zone
To
emphasize the necessity of the clear area or "quiet zone" to the right
of the bar code, Bookland EAN symbols are produced with a
">" (greater-than sign) within the right-hand quiet
zone. This serves to protect this essential clear space,
which is often too narrow when the final plate-ready film is
produced. There should be no printed border around the bar
code.
Truncation
Shortening
of the vertical bars of an EAN symbol is referred to as truncation and
should be avoided. It may cause non-reads and delays when scanning the
symbol.
Color
The
ability of the scanners to decode a symbol is based on measuring the
bar and space widths and determining their arrangements. The
bars must always be the darker color. Bar and space colors
cannot be reversed. As a general rule, the bars should be
printed in either black or dark blue (reflex blue, process blue and
cyan are good). The color for the background, or spaces, can
be white, yellow or red. There should be no blue or black in
the background color.
Must the
ISBN be printed above the symbol?
Yes.
Positioning the human-readable ISBN separately from the bar code symbol
would require the scanner operator to search for the ISBN in those
situations where the bar code does not scan properly and manual entry
is necessary. Searching in this way would cause valuable seconds to be
lost in the transaction.
The
ISBN should be displayed directly above the bar code symbol in the
format:
The
font for the human readable ISBN should be a sans serif font such as
OCR-B or Arial. As a minimum, the font size should be
sufficient for the ISBN to extend the full width of the main body of
the bar code (excluding the width of the add-on) as shown in Figure 1 below.
How do I
print the price above the bar code?
Displaying
the human
readable suggested retail price above the bar code on Cover 4 (the back
cover)
of a book provides a consistent location associated with other business
aspects
of the book (the ISBN and bar code). Printing the price in this
location need not
preclude displaying it
elsewhere on the book at the option of the publisher or retailer.
Multiple currencies may
be displayed if applicable, separated by slashes without spaces. The
font should be a sans
serif font such as OCR B or Arial of at least 7
point. Currency
indication (both letters
and symbols) should follow ISO guidance available at http://www.xe.com/iso4217.php.
Figure 1: Display of ISBN and price above the bar
code
Where are
bar codes to be printed on books?
Standard
Location (All Formats)
The Bookland EAN symbol is
printed at the bottom of Cover 4 (the back cover or jacket).
The bars are oriented
vertically in a "picket fence" configuration. [See Figure 2 below for
minimum distance between the symbol and the bottom and edges.]
The Bookland EAN may be printed anywhere on the
bottom of the back cover, with the bottom of the symbol ¼
inch above the bottom of the cover.
Figure 2: Placement of
Bookland EAN on Cover 4
Note
that this location is standard for all formats and bindings:
hardcover,
trade paper, mass market, juvenile, etc.
Optional Locations
Unjacketed Books:
For hard cover books
without jackets, scannable symbols can usually be printed, screened, or
stamped on the cover material using commercial printing
methods. If this is not practical, a printed pressure
sensitive label should be affixed in the standard location.
If the cover material is such that the sticker will not hold securely,
the Bookland EAN symbol may be printed in the lower right-hand corner
of Cover 3 (inside back cover) or last printable page, in a 'picket
fence' configuration.
Jacketed
Hardback Books: Publishers may wish to
print the Bookland EAN symbol inside jacketed hardback books as well as
on the jacket, in order to utilize scanning in their returns
processing. These publishers should print the Bookland EAN in
the lower right-hand corner of Cover 3 (inside back cover) or last
printable page, as described above.
Rack-Sized
Mass Market Paperbacks: Rack-sized
paperback books are to have the Bookland EAN printed on Cover 4 (the
back cover or jacket). In addition, if the front cover of the book may
be stripped and returned for credit, the Bookland EAN is to appear on
Cover 2 (inside front cover).
Automatic
scanner-sorters used by many publishers, distributors and retailers to
process cover returns require the bar code to appear in a uniform
position on Cover 2. These participants have agreed to the location and
orientation shown below in Figure 3. Any other positioning on
this cover would be unscannable.
.
Figure 3: Bookland EAN on
Cover 2
The
bar code on Cover 2 is a standard Bookland EAN bar code, including
add-on containing suggested retail price. The ISBN above the
bar code must be in ISBN-13 format as of January 1, 2007, although
publishers may continue to print the ISBN-10 format (in addition) at
their option.
The bar code
is to be vertical ("picket fence" configuration) above the front edge
when the cover is oriented as shown, with Cover 2 toward the
observer. The bar code may be located anywhere along the front
edge; as long as clearances from the top or bottom edge are
observed. The distance from the front edge must be held to 3/8
inch (+/- 1/16 inch) as shown.
The
other clearances on Figure 3 are minimums and the actual spacing may be
greater.
The
bar code magnification must not be less than 90% with no
truncation. When a bar code is printed on Cover 2, it is
suggested that the bar code on Cover 4 be printed at the same
magnification used for Cover 2.
What
if I want to print my bar code somewhere else?
Does
the bar code have to be printed on the back cover?
Yes. A major motivation for the
development of bar codes for books was the need to speed up
transactions. A standard location is therefore necessary to save time
when searching the product for the code.
How do
I bar code books that don't have jackets?
A bar code label must be applied to
the back board in the specified location. These can be produced by
specialist bar code label printers, or by litho from artwork, or from a
bar code label software package with laser or thermal transfer output.
What are the
Strippable and Non-Strippable Indicators?
BISAC developed the symbols shown below to
indicate when covers stripped off the book will or will not suffice to
support credit for returns. It is recommended that the
symbols be used as follows:
-
On
rack-size mass market paperbacks: the strippable or non-strippable
indicator must appear with the EAN on Cover 2 and on Cover 4;
-
On
oversize trade paperbacks: the strippable or non-strippable
indicator should appear everywhere a Bookland EAN appears;
-
On
rack-size trade paperbacks: the non-strippable indicator must appear
with the Bookland EAN on Cover 4; and
-
On
other products, including calendars: the strippable or
non-strippable indicator should appear everywhere a Bookland EAN
appears.
Stripped cover may
be returned for credit:
Full book/product return is required
for credit:
The
"Strippable" Symbols
The
following dimensions are of a nominal nature and should be followed as
closely as appropriate production equipment allows, within a general
tolerance of plus or minus 10%.
The
"strippable" symbol consists of the lines forming an equilateral
triangle measuring 3/10" on each side (0.300"), and having centered
within its bounds the capital letter "S" in OCR-B font.
The
"non-strippable" symbol consists (solely) of the lines forming an
equilateral triangle measuring 3/10" on each side (0.300").
The
lines forming the triangle should be approximately 1/64" (0.015")
thick. When present, the letter "S" is represented in OCR-B font at a
character height of 1/10" (0.100"), and is centered within the triangle
such that the base line of the character is parallel to one side of the
triangle, which is designated the 'triangle base line".
Whichever
of the two symbols is used, the triangle is printed in specific
proximity to the Bookland EAN symbol already being printed or otherwise
put on the product such that the base line of the triangle is parallel
and equal to the base line of the bar code data bars (a position
approximately equal to the top line of the OCR-B data characters
printed beneath the bar code symbol). The left end of the triangle base
line is no closer to the last (right-most) bar of the bar code than the
width of the minimum right-hand "quiet zone" specified for the EAN
symbology, a distance that may be generalized for this application as
3/32" (0.0909").
The
">" (greater-than sign) following the OCR-B "add-on" digits
called for elsewhere in these guidelines is omitted when either the
strippable or non-strippable indicator is present and positioned as
specified.
Should
I print the letters "EAN" next to my bar code?
You
may, if you as a publisher perceive a need for it. However, the book
industry and general retailing are moving to 13 digit identifiers,
including ISBN-13. Dual identifiers (UPC and EAN) are no longer
necessary, and the literal indicating that the bar code contains an EAN
should no longer be necessary either.
As
shown in the examples below, the literal may be included in whatever
size the publisher feels is appropriate, as long as it is able to be
read by the eye. The literal must be outside of the quiet zone if it is
included to the right or left of the bar code.
Bookland EAN with the literal to the
left:
Bookland EAN with the literal and
"strippable" symbol to the right:
Return to Document
Library: Standards: Bar Coding
|
