Dear Professionals, Following article provides very good information on ISBN13. It ellaborates its impact on library, vendors and existing systems. You may go to link for complete details describes with various exmaples. With regards, Rajesh "Striking Thirteen" Library Journal (03/01/06) P. 36 ; Breaux Ann-Marie; Dawson, Laura The forthcoming introduction of 13-digit international standard book numbers (ISBNs) to increase the availability of ISBNs and improve their compliance with worldwide product numbering systems should have librarians, publishers, and booksellers on alert, as the new numbers will have a significant effect on all aspects of library transactions and operations, write YBP Library Services' Ann-Marie Breaux and LJNDawson.com's Laura Dawson. All 10-digit ISBNs will officially switch to ISBN-13s for transaction purposes on Jan. 1, 2007, and every order, claim, and invoice should employ ISBN-13s by that time; booksellers are overhauling their internal and external systems to facilitate ISBN-13 transactions for both publishers and libraries, while system vendors are rewriting software to resolve most transition problems. Breaux and Dawson recommend that librarians bone up on the transitions and be certain their vendors are ready, and inventory all systems and databases to learn the location and manner of ISBN storage and usage, ensuring that a locally programmed or vendor-partner-provided solution is available in every case. Librarians should query their vendors on such issues as whether their databases are both ISBN-10- and ISBN-13-searchable, whether both types of ISBNs are displayed in their databases, changes to electronic invoicing as well as cataloging records or other MARC records supplied by vendors, and whether libraries' electronic ordering, invoicing, or cataloging arrangements must be reevaluated. Systems vendors are relied on by libraries to supply new software releases that support ISBN-13, and librarians need to comprehend the update process for any areas where ISBNs are searched, indexed, and stored, in addition to the acquisitions module. Breaux and Dawson suggest librarians ask system vendors such questions as whether searches accommodate both ISBN-10 and ISBN-13; whether an ISBN-10 and its corresponding ISBN-13 can be recognized by the system as identical for functions such as duplication control, bibliographic record overlay, and federated search results merging; how to order an ISBN-10 title when the vendor desires an ISBN-13; and the handling of electronic data interchange transactions. (Link to Web Source) Dear Professionals,   Following article provides very good information on ISBN13. It ellaborates its impact on library, vendors and existing systems. You may go to link for complete details describes with various exmaples.   With regards,   Rajesh     "Striking Thirteen" Library Journal (03/01/06) P. 36 ; Breaux Ann-Marie; Dawson, Laura The forthcoming introduction of 13-digit international standard book numbers (ISBNs) to increase the availability of ISBNs and improve their compliance with worldwide product numbering systems should have librarians, publishers, and booksellers on alert, as the new numbers will have a significant effect on all aspects of library transactions and operations, write YBP Library Services' Ann-Marie Breaux and LJNDawson.com's Laura Dawson. All 10-digit ISBNs will officially switch to ISBN-13s for transaction purposes on Jan. 1, 2007, and every order, claim, and invoice should employ ISBN-13s by that time; booksellers are overhauling their internal and external systems to facilitate ISBN-13 transactions for both publishers and libraries, while system vendors are rewriting software to resolve most transition problems. Breaux and Dawson recommend that librarians bone up on the transitions and be certain their vendors are ready, and inventory all systems and databases to learn the location and manner of ISBN storage and usage, ensuring that a locally programmed or vendor-partner-provided solution is available in every case. Librarians should query their vendors on such issues as whether their databases are both ISBN-10- and ISBN-13-searchable, whether both types of ISBNs are displayed in their databases, changes to electronic invoicing as well as cataloging records or other MARC records supplied by vendors, and whether libraries' electronic ordering, invoicing, or cataloging arrangements must be reevaluated. Systems vendors are relied on by libraries to supply new software releases that support ISBN-13, and librarians need to comprehend the update process for any areas where ISBNs are searched, indexed, and stored, in addition to the acquisitions module. Breaux and Dawson suggest librarians ask system vendors such questions as whether searches accommodate both ISBN-10 and ISBN-13; whether an ISBN-10 and its corresponding ISBN-13 can be recognized by the system as identical for functions such as duplication control, bibliographic record overlay, and federated search results merging; how to order an ISBN-10 title when the vendor desires an ISBN-13; and the handling of electronic data interchange transactions. ( http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6308665.html Link to Web Source )