Size Matters with Bar Codes on Books

I don't mean to scare you, but publishing a book yourself takes you out of the realm of writer and into a new business as fraught with dangers as a war zone. One such minefield concerns what appears on your book's cover. No, I'm not talking about the front of the cover this time as previously. I've hit that topic every year: 2004, 2005, 2006.

On the back of your book, in addition to an enticing blurb and endorsements, certain information is required so that others can order and sell your book. These items are generally referred to as the "bar code". Yes, literally a bar code like the ones that appear on products in the grocery stores. This one, however, is the Bookland EAN, a series of electronically readable bars and numbers incorporating the book's 13-digit ISBN and often the book's price. For background and details about this bar code, see the Book Industry Study Group.

Book cover designer Cathi Stevenson offers an article focusing on issues about the size of the bar code in The Truth About Bar Codes--Size Matters. She warns:

It should also be noted that Barnes and Noble will not accept books from small publishers that do not comply with their format, which is slightly smaller, although it's always better to cover all basis and go with the larger format, and the following is from the Barnes and Noble website.