From the 1st January 2007 the the 10-digit International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system began to be replaced with the new 13-digit system. For the first year the two systems have existed side by side - the 10 digit system was simply prefixed by 978, but from January 2008 the introduction on the 979 prefix will signal the end of the 10-digit system. You can read the press release about it here and a manual of instructions here.
For most this news will be of little interest, apart from those who are directly involved in either publishing or bookselling. Unless, like me, you are also an Amazon Associate and have product links to Amazon on your website that are based on 10-digit ISBN's. I was therefore somewhat surprised when I contacted the Amazon Associates helpdesk to find that they have no information at all about when the old system will cease and what effect this will have on Amazon product links - though they said that they would get back to me when they had further information.
So it would seem that Amazon Associates should be prepared to change to the new system at short notice. If, like me, you have a large number of Amazon product links on your sites (I have around 15,000) this will keep you busy towards the end of the year!
If anyone knows more about Amazon's policy on this please feel free to leave a comment.
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