Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#1

Post by blindprogrammer » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 12:54 PM UTC

Apparently, this company has the sole right to issue ISBNs; no other company in the USA is legally allowed to do so. This is highly unusual, since it is a for-profit corporation, not a government agency. So I must be missing something—why is this possible?

Imagine if the government required car license plates, but instead of issuing them itself or through its affiliates, there was a parasitic middleman that the government required you to buy from. I know ICANN is somewhat similar, but ICANN is effectively a child of a U.S. defense agency, so it makes sense—and you can buy domains from multiple companies.

Why isn’t ISBN funded and run by a government agency, like the U.S. Trademark Office?

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#2

Post by tacostakohashi » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:13 PM UTC

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs.

The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem?

There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#3

Post by qazxcvbnmlp » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:33 PM UTC

tacostakohashi wrote: post #2

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs. The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem? There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

Case in point: I have several technical manuals that look like books but have no ISBN numbers.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#4

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:33 PM UTC

tacostakohashi wrote: post #2

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs. The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem? There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#5

Post by testing22321 » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:35 PM UTC

As a counterpoint, every Canadian gets 10 free ISBNs they can use. If they use those up (I’m close) they can buy more cheaply.

This is what a society looks like that isn’t run for the purpose of maximizing profit of companies.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#6

Post by riffic » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:37 PM UTC

> ICANN is effectively a child of a U.S. defense agency

is it?

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#7

Post by testing22321 » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 2:56 PM UTC

tacostakohashi wrote: post #2

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs. The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem? There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

Do you know what the “I” in ISBN stands for?

There’s a whole world out there.

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#8

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 3:24 PM UTC

tacostakohashi wrote: post #2

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs. The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem? There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#9

Post by conditionnumber » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 5:35 PM UTC

tacostakohashi wrote: post #2

Actually it's highly usual. Lots of things are like this, e.g. UPC numbers for barcodes, D&B / D-U-N-S numbers, CUSIPs. The government doesn't require books to have ISBNs, so why should issuing them be the government's problem? There's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative book numbering system that nobody cares about if you think you can do a better job.

> Actually it's highly usual... CUSIPs... there's nothing to stop you from setting up your own, alternative... numbering system

I don't think there's anything natural about the mandatory use of copyrighted CUSIP identifiers in regulatory reporting. When SEC publishes its quarterly list of 13F securities it includes a disclaimer that it does so "with permission" from the copyright holder. My city doesn't pay royalties or seek approvals when it records and processes car license plate numbers for parking enforcement. The copyright holder seems actively involved in rulemaking that has the potential to diminish the role CUSIPs play in mandatory regulatory reporting.

https://www.federalreserve.gov/apps/proposals/comments/FR-00...

Re: Ask HN: Why is Bowker's monopoly on ISBNs in the USA legal?

#10

Post by Xorakios » Mon, Oct 20, 2025, 5:35 PM UTC

Because they co-created the idea?

Trademarks and patents are enforced by governments. Unique identifiers for books was a marketing idea. You, me, anyone could create a new system and somebody probably will :)