International Standard Book Number

The International Standard Book Number (ISBN) is used to give every book an own identification. So books can be classified and administrated in a easy and promptly way. Up until recently, the ISBN was a 10 digits number, however, as the mathematical possibilities of the 10 digit-format were nearly exhausted, it was decided to create the ISBN-13 by expanding the format and adding 3 more digits. Since January 2007 every material must carry the ISBN-13. 

To convert an ISBN-10 to an ISBN-13, it is done through the EAN bar code with 978 or 979 as the first three digits. Digits identify the country, language, editor, number and the last one is the check digit. 

And who had the idea to create the books Personal Identification Number? In 1966, libraries W.H.Smith at the UK created a system so the could be able to identify properly every material.

Four years later, became an international identifier. Since then, it is the "identity card" of the books over more than 170 countries. 

In libreja, by the way, only a barcode scanner is required to scan the ISBN and get all the bibliographic data, such us Title, author, Etc.