Are Book ISBNs in the United States a Monopoly?

Question

It seems to me that the only legitimate place to purchase an ISBN is through the private company, BOWKER---which charges $125 for a single ISBN number. The cost per ISBN diminishes when purchased in larger quantities.

It is also my understanding that in Canada, there is no charge for its citizens for an ISBN.

QUESTION: Am I right in perceiving Bowker as a government-sanctioned monopoly in the United States market for ISBN numbers by effectively eliminating competition? Is not $125 for a single ISBN rather exorbitant, considering that a single book often requires multiple ISBNs if published say, as a paperback, hardcover, and e-book---not to mention subsequent editions?

Answer 1

ISBNs are international article numbers, distributed by local providers under the mandate of the International ISBN Agency, which is in turn affilated with the International Organization for Standardization. Both the ISO and the International ISBN Agency are promoting the use of their standards, but calling it "effectively eliminating competition" sounds questionable. The ISBN encodes information about the product and publisher, so having multiple providers in the same area would defeat the purpose.

In theory, you are free to invent the DDS Book Number, to assign yourself number "1" free of charge, and to lobby bookstores to stock your book under that number. That won't happen, of course, so you could argue that ISO has a de-facto monopoly on book numbers. But then you cannot assign your own IP address without breaking free of the internet, either.

Answer 2

Are Book ISBNs in the United States a Monopoly?

Yes.

Am I right in perceiving Bowker as a government-sanctioned monopoly in the United States market for ISBN numbers by effectively eliminating competition?

You have presented no facts that are tied to government action. As far as I can tell, Bowker is "operating under a grant from the International ISBN Agency" and "has the exclusive right to assign ISBN prefixes and ISBNs to publishers located in the United States." But if you have additional facts, you should put them in the question.

I guess if you want to consider the lack of anti-trust actions against Bowker "government-sanctioning," then you can call it that, but that's not a legal opinion.

You say the government has "effectively eliminat[ed] competition." But you also present no facts that establish that allegation.

In most countries, the International ISBN Agency has entered into an agreement with a single entity to make them the exclusive local ISBN provider.

Is not $125 for a single ISBN rather exorbitant, considering that a single book often requires multiple ISBNs if published say, as a paperback, hardcover, and e-book---not to mention subsequent editions?

Whether this is exorbitant is a matter of opinion. But if one is publishing multiple editions of a paperback, hardcover, and e-book, it may make more sense to buy 10 ISBNs for $295 rather than to buy them individually for $125 each.