BISG in the News

Brave New EDI World;

BISG Finds Consensus

Editors' note: The mention of uniform bar codes and longer ISBNs may lull many book world people into a state of semi-consciousness, but the subject is like plumbing or electricity: it's easy to take for granted but without it, we're lost. If all else fails, try scanning the following.

By John Mutter (PW Daily) -- In what several participants called a "historic" vote, at its annual meeting last week, the Book Industry Study Group unanimously approved three recommendations that assure the book industry will stay in conformity with changing standards and technology in the wider commercial world. Among the many benefits: there will be more ISBNs available, ISBNs and bar codes will be compatible with trading partners around the globe, and all books will be easily scannable at most store checkout registers.

The group endorsed the move from the current 10-digit ISBN to a 13-digit ISBN, which will be the sole form of ISBNs as of January 1, 2007. Beginning January 1, 2005, the use of both types of ISBNs is highly recommended. (Current 10-digit ISBNs can become 13-digit ISBNs by adding 978 as a prefix. These 13-digit ISBNs are identical to the numbers encoded in current Bookland EANs. Eventually ISBN-13s will also be created with a 979 prefix.)

The group also endorsed the use of the item-specific Bookland EAN bar code as the only bar code to be printed on books and book-related products. It will appear on the back of all books as well as the inside cover of strippable paperbacks. (Price-point UPC bar codes, currently used on the back cover of most mass markets, will no longer appear.) The price add-on bar code, which indicates the book's price, will be retained as part of the Bookland EAN bar code on books intended for sale by U.S. retailers.

The task force recommended that the single-bar code approach go into effect on frontlist titles as of the third quarter of 2005. For backlist titles, the approach should be phased in and completed by the third quarter of 2007.

Incidentally a BISG task force on bar codes found that by next July 85% of all affected retailers will be able to receive, store and scan products with EAN bar codes. The remaining 15% will either be capable of processing EAN by December of next year, continue using their own proprietary barcoding, continue not to need barcoding or oversticker the EAN bar code with UPC bar codes.

As if this all weren't enough to wade through, the group also adopted recommendations that companies become compliant with the Global Trade Item Number or GTIN, an "umbrella number" of EAN/UCC numbers that identifies both products and services and converts all such numbers into 14-digit numbers. (The 13-digit ISBN adds a prefix of zero to become a GTIN-14 number.) For the book industry, the group wants to use a 14-digit GTIN number that could be used to identify the contents of shipping containers and case packs.

BISG is also moving ahead on a variety of fronts. At the meeting, it approved a recommendation that seeks to address privacy concerns relating to RFID (radio frequency identifier) technology. The group advanced its plans to make a comprehensive study of used book sales. It is creating a Manufacturer Executives Interest Group--modeled on the Distribution Executives Interest Group--that aims to address the issues between publishers, printers and manufacturers. It is also launching, in association with the Georgia Institute of Technology, a program that allows publishers anonymously to compare their warehousing performance with that of other companies in the business.

BISG executive director Jeff Abraham said that the high attendance of 135 at the meeting, the range of companies and organizations represented and the unanimous approval of recommendations "proved that we can as an industry come together and address contentious issues." He emphasized that a key was to let all parties "air their issues and be frank and open so that all can feel their views were taken into account. . . . This is a great formula that I would like to bring to other issues in the future."

In other BISG news, the group elected several new officers: Joe Gonnella of Barnes & Noble is the new chair. Andrew Weber of Random House is the new vice-chair. Jan Nathan of Publishers Marketing Association and Deborah Wiley of John Wiley & Sons continue as treasurer and secretary, respectively.