Bowker is a company that provides bibliographic information on published works to the book industry.
The company also provides identification numbers for books. These identification numbers are used to track books and to help libraries, bookstores, and distributors manage their inventory. The most well–known of these numbers is the ISBN (International Standard Book Number), printed on most books’ back covers.
Bowker also manages the Books in Print database, a searchable database of over 7 million books. This database is used by librarians, booksellers, and others in the book industry to find information about specific titles and order books.
Bowker also provides several other services related to books and publishing, such as book packaging and design, barcode generation, and print-on-demand.
Bowker is a vital resource for books and publishing. It provides data that helps publishers and authors understand the book market, track trends, and make informed decisions about their publishing strategies. This data is essential for publishers to make informed pricing, marketing, and distribution decisions. Bowker also provides resources that help authors self–publish their books and reach new audiences.
Moreover, Bowker is important for several reasons regarding books and marketing. First, Bowker is the exclusive provider of ISBNs in the United States, which are required for all books sold commercially. This gives them a monopoly on a critical piece of the book publishing and marketing ecosystem. Bowker also provides data on book sales and trends, which is critical for publishers, authors, and marketers in understanding the book market and making informed decisions about marketing and publishing strategies. Finally, Bowker offers various services designed to help authors and publishers market and sell their books, including an online bookstore, distribution services, and a self–publishing platform. All these factors make Bowker a key player in the book industry and an essential partner for anyone looking to sell books commercially.