Distribution and ISBNs

Distribution is a service that gets your book out to the world. We will make your book available through bibliographic databases, online marketplaces and distribution catalogs. An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a unique, 10- or 13-digit identification number that allows publishers, libraries, and book dealers to locate books. If you would like our experts to obtain an ISBN, distribution package and assemble your book, please purchase a publishing package. We offer distribution options for ISBN and non-ISBN titles. Once an ISBN has been applied to a project, you may not change it. 

Why would I choose distribution?

If you have published your book through Lulu and are interested in making it available to a wider audience, you will want to take advantage of Lulu's distribution offerings. All books published through Lulu are available for purchase on Lulu.com (unless you specify otherwise).  If you want your book to appear on other retail websites, you will need to read through the distribution options carefully and determine which package is right for you.  Please be sure that you read through all of the information for each option before selecting distribution options.

• What are the types of distribution available from Lulu?
  • extendedREACH Distribution
  • globalREACH Distribution

*The extendedREACH and globalREACH distribution options have specific eligibility requirements (book's trim size, binding, page count). Please ensure that your book is eligible by checking here. You will need to check our distribution requirements to properly prepare your book for the distribution option you choose: Mandatory Requirements for Distribution as well as agree to the terms and conditions:

extendedREACH and globalREACH Terms and Conditions

What are ISBNs and do I need one?

An ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a controlled, 10- or 13-digit identification number allowing publishers, libraries, and book dealers to locate books. If you received an ISBN from Lulu, the ISBN will include Lulu's prefix and Lulu will be listed as the publisher of record. If you assigned an ISBN that you own to the project, your publisher information will be listed. For more information on the history and purpose of ISBNs, see http://www.isbn.org. An ISBN is NOT needed to publish on Lulu (Lulu ISBNs are available for free in the Lulu Publishing Wizard).

An ISBN is needed to have a book distributed in the book industry commerce chain (extendedREACH or globalREACH).  Each project must have a different ISBN. A unique ISBN distinguishes between different versions of a book, helping customers to be sure that they are ordering the book they want.

What ISBN options are available at Lulu?

Lulu supports three ISBN options:

Lulu-owned ISBN

You can get an ISBN from Lulu for free in the Lulu Publishing Wizard. You will need to purchase a Distribution package to have your ISBN submitted to Bowker's Books in Print and Nielsen Book Data (ISBN agencies).

Lulu ISBN Agreement.

Bring Your Own ISBN

Assign an ISBN you already own to your title. The imprint (publisher name and information) attached to your ISBN will remain the same and Lulu.com will not be listed as the publisher. You must be the owner of the ISBN and may not use this ISBN with any other distributor. You will need to purchase globalREACH for Lulu to distribute your book.

Bringing your own ISBN Agreement.

yourISBN*

This option is a service for Lulu to obtain an ISBN for you from the US ISBN agency using your registered details as a publisher. After you receive your ISBN, you may assign it to a project as a Bring your own ISBN. You will need to purchase globalREACH for Lulu to distribute your book.

Click to order yourISBN

*Only available to US, Guam & Puerto Rico residents