{"id":29,"date":"2026-08-26T06:03:56","date_gmt":"2026-08-26T06:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/index.php\/isbn-faqs\/"},"modified":"2026-08-26T06:03:56","modified_gmt":"2026-08-26T06:03:56","slug":"isbn-faqs","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/isbn-faqs\/","title":{"rendered":"ISBN FAQ&#8217;s"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<main id=\"main-content\">\n<section class=\"page-hero\">\n<div class=\"container page-hero__inner\">\n<div>\n<p class=\"kicker\">National Library<\/p>\n<h1>ISBN FAQ&#8217;s<\/h1>\n<p>Frequently asked questions for authors and publishers applying for ISBN services through KNLS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<a href=\"\/\">Home<\/a>\n<span aria-hidden=\"true\">\/<\/span>\n<a href=\"\/services\/\">Our Services<\/a>\n<span aria-hidden=\"true\">\/<\/span>\n<span>ISBN FAQ&#8217;s<\/span>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"section faq-service-section\">\n<div class=\"container service-detail__layout\">\n<article class=\"service-detail__content reveal\">\n<section class=\"service-block\" id=\"faq-basics\">\n<p class=\"kicker\">ISBN FAQ&#8217;s<\/p>\n<h2>ISBN basics<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-accordion\">\n<details open=\"\"><summary>What is an ISBN?<\/summary><p>An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique 13-digit identifier for books, eBooks and other published materials. It helps publishers, booksellers, libraries and distributors identify a particular edition of a book and manage titles in the global marketplace.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>Why do I need an ISBN?<\/summary><p>An ISBN distinguishes your book from other publications, supports distribution through retailers and libraries, improves global discoverability, supports accurate cataloguing, and gives your publication professional bibliographic identity.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>Where do I get an ISBN in Kenya?<\/summary><p>In Kenya, ISBNs are obtained through the Kenya National Library Service, which serves as the official ISBN agency for the country.<\/p><\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"service-block\" id=\"faq-application\">\n<h2>How to get an ISBN in Kenya<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"process-list\">\n<li>Visit the ISBN Manager Platform at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.isbn.ac.ke\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">www.isbn.ac.ke<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>If you are a first-time user, click <strong>Don&#8217;t have an account<\/strong>. If you are already registered, log in and continue.<\/li>\n<li>Provide an email address, username and password.<\/li>\n<li>Complete the CAPTCHA and sign-up process.<\/li>\n<li>After email verification, complete your user profile and publisher information. Self-publishing authors should also complete publisher information using their personal details.<\/li>\n<li>Ensure all mandatory fields under <strong>My Info<\/strong> and <strong>Publisher Info<\/strong> are completed.<\/li>\n<li>Click <strong>ISBN Products<\/strong>, add the required ISBN quantity to your cart, complete the transaction, select your payment mode and make payment.<\/li>\n<li>Your ISBN will be sent to the email address you provided.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"notice-card\"><strong>Processing time:<\/strong> Once all requirements are correctly filled, ISBN applications can be processed within 24 hours.<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"service-block\" id=\"faq-costs\">\n<h2>ISBN costs<\/h2>\n<table class=\"pricing-table\">\n<thead><tr><th>ISBN package<\/th><th>Cost<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr><td>Single ISBN<\/td><td>Kshs 1,500.00<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Batch of 10 ISBNs<\/td><td>Kshs 10,000.00<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Batch of 100 ISBNs<\/td><td>Kshs 50,000.00<\/td><\/tr>\n<tr><td>Batch of 1,000 ISBNs<\/td><td>Kshs 100,000.00<\/td><\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Purchasing ISBNs in batches can offer cost savings for authors and publishers planning to release multiple titles.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"service-block\" id=\"faq-editions\">\n<h2>Editions, formats and series<\/h2>\n<div class=\"faq-accordion\">\n<details><summary>Can I use the same ISBN for different editions of my book?<\/summary><p>No. Each edition of a book, including hardcover, paperback and e-book versions, requires a unique ISBN. Significant content changes may also require a new ISBN.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>Do I need an ISBN for each book in a series?<\/summary><p>Yes. Each distinct edition or format of a book within a series requires its own unique ISBN.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>Do I need an ISBN for each translated language version?<\/summary><p>Yes. Each translated version should have its own ISBN because ISBNs are tied to a specific language edition and format.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>What if I forget my ISBN Manager password?<\/summary><p>Click the <strong>Forgot Password<\/strong> link, enter the email address associated with your account, then follow the reset link sent to your inbox.<\/p><\/details>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"service-block\" id=\"faq-legal-deposit\">\n<h2>After getting an ISBN: legal deposit<\/h2>\n<p>After acquiring an ISBN, publishers must fulfil legal deposit requirements. In Kenya, the Books and Newspapers Act (Cap 111) requires publishers to submit two copies of their publications to the national library.<\/p>\n<div class=\"faq-accordion\">\n<details><summary>Do e-books require legal deposit?<\/summary><p>Yes. E-books are usually subject to legal deposit requirements, and KNLS accepts digital copies of publications.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>Is legal deposit mandatory for self-published authors?<\/summary><p>Yes. Legal deposit is generally mandatory for all publishers, including self-published authors.<\/p><\/details>\n<details><summary>What does the library do with legal deposits?<\/summary><p>Legal deposits preserve cultural and intellectual heritage and support the development of the Kenya National Bibliography, which reflects the nation&#8217;s cultural, educational and historical landscape.<\/p><\/details>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"action-band\">\n<a class=\"btn btn--orange\" href=\"https:\/\/www.isbn.ac.ke\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Apply for ISBN Online Now<\/a>\n<a class=\"btn btn--green\" href=\"\/legal-deposit\/\">View Legal Deposit<\/a>\n<a class=\"btn btn--outline\" download=\"\" href=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/knls-wordpress-gutenberg-editable\/assets\/documents\/faq-isbn.pdf\">Download FAQ PDF<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/main>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>National Library ISBN FAQ&#8217;s Frequently asked questions for authors and publishers applying for ISBN services through KNLS. Home \/ Our Services \/ ISBN FAQ&#8217;s ISBN FAQ&#8217;s ISBN basics What is an ISBN? An ISBN, or International Standard Book Number, is a unique 13-digit identifier for books, eBooks and other published materials. It helps publishers, booksellers, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-29","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/29","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=29"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/29\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.knls.ac.ke\/?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=29"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}