ISBNs in Canada (and Why I’m Using IngramSpark)
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”
— Leonard Cohen
In Canada, ISBNs are issued by Library and Archives Canada. You apply through their website, and once approved, you can request ISBNs as needed no bundles, no barcode upsells, and no cost. That’s very different from the US (where ISBNs must be purchased through Bowker) or the UK (through Nielsen).
When researching how to publish, most of what comes up for me, especially in Google searches or YouTube videos, turned out to be very US-focused. You’ll see a lot of talk about “free” ISBNs from platforms like Amazon or Draft2Digital. But those ISBNs are platform-assigned which means:
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You don’t own them
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You can’t reuse them across platforms
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And often, the platform’s name is listed as the publisher
For Canadian authors, this doesn’t make much sense. We can claim our own ISBNs for free, maintain full control over our book’s metadata, and ensure we’re listed as the actual publisher of record.
This also keeps things cleaner across multiple editions like hardcover, softcover, or eBook and across different print-on-demand platforms as we can keep the same ISBN number for each format vs having to keep track of which "free one" is where and make new covers with those on it.
I’m publishing my first book as a hardcover picture book using IngramSpark, so I’ve assigned one ISBN just for that version. If I publish a softcover edition later, that will require its own ISBN. (I’m not doing an eBook right now, but that would be a third.)
If you’re new to ISBNs, here are some helpful links:
Why I’m Using IngramSpark
I wrote earlier about how this book grew from a board book concept into a full picture book and this brought me to IngramSpark. If you'd like to, you can read that here.
One of the turning points in that shift was format. I knew I wanted a hardcover edition, but with fewer than 40 pages that isn’t something Amazon KDP offers. KDP’s hardcover options are limited by both page count and trim size. For many picture books, like mine, it just doesn’t work.
That’s where IngramSpark comes in.
IngramSpark is a print-on-demand and global distribution platform used by indie publishers and small presses. It allows you to print professional-quality books (including hardcover) and makes them available to bookstores, libraries, and major online retailers like Chapters/Indigo, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, and yes, even Amazon.
I actually found IngramSpark through the Chapters/Indigo website and I'm so glad I did as it changed what my focus had been to ensure that I would be able to get my books into Canadian bookstores. Here's their FAQs for Authors page.
I have to say it's a lot to navigate and it’s not the easiest system to learn, especially for a first time author, but it’s one of the only platforms that supports the kind of book I’m making: a shorter, square-format hardcover with global distribution options.
A Note About Legal Deposit
One important detail if you’re using Canadian ISBNs: you are required to submit your book to Library and Archives Canada once it’s published. This is called legal deposit and is part of Canada’s system for preserving our national publishing record.
Depending on the size of your print run and format, you’ll need to send one or two copies. It’s a bit of extra postage but it also means your book becomes part of Canada’s permanent literary record. Yes, even if it’s about bunnies and boobs.
You can read all about the deposit process here including for ebooks and even music.
Getting closer to my first book upload to IngramSpark!
I’m just on the final colouring stages now and hoping to upload my final files next weekend, so this felt like a good time to share what I’ve learned so far.
I’ll write a follow-up on how the upload process with IngramSpark actually goes, especially since I’m doing it all in Scribus, a free open-source layout tool (like Krita, but for book interiors).
You can always find more at littlegoodbyes.ca, including book news and free printables.
