1)How much is an ISBN and do I need one?

An ISBN uniquely identifies a book and its specific format. In UK self-publishing it is required per printed format (paperback, hardback). You don’t need an ISBN for an eBook.

If you publish under your own publisher-name, you will need to buy and register the ISBN yourself.
At YouCaxton, we recommend that you publish under a YouCaxton Imprint so that we can manage all of the registration and metadata for you — in which case, we provide you with a free ISBN.

2)How do I create a barcode for my book?

There are several free sites that can create an EAN-13 barcode for you. You just supply the ISBN and they generate a PNG or PDF to place on your cover. Most cover designers will create the barcode as part of the cover artwork.

The barcode should be placed on the back cover, bottom-right. Always proof that the digits match your ISBN and that the contrast is strong enough to scan reliably.

3)How many copies of my book should I send to the legal deposit libraries?

UK legal deposit requires you to supply one copy to the British Library upon request. Additionally, five other deposit libraries can request free copies via the Agency for the Legal Deposit Libraries (ALDL). Budget for this at publication: it’s part of being on the record and available to scholars.

YouCaxton will manage this for you — we charge for the cost of six books plus the postage cost.