As we move toward a national book policy, one pillar of the publishing ecosystem remains both misunderstood and underutilized — the ISBN. An ISBN is not just a number; it is infrastructure. It enables books to be identified, discovered, traded, and counted across borders. Without it, books may exist physically, but they remain invisible to the global publishing economy.

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We have an ISBN system; the real question is whether we are using it strategically or merely filing it away. Too often, it is seen as a technical detail — a small code on the back of a book. That perception obscures its true value.

We have made real progress; Rwanda Cultural Heritage Academy (RCHA) issues ISBNs through Irembo — affordably and efficiently. But having a system is not the same as using it strategically. Today, ISBN sits at the margins: not consistently required in publishing, education, libraries, or trade, many books are produced without entering any formal system of visibility. For a country serious about a knowledge economy, ISBN must move from optional to foundational.

The International ISBN Agency — the global body that governs the system from its headquarters in London — assigns national agencies the responsibility of registering publishers and issuing number blocks within their territories. But the international framework goes further than issuance. It calls for national agencies to maintain accurate publisher and title records, contribute data to the Global Register of Publishers, and ensure that ISBNs are systematically linked to bibliographic metadata — title, author, format, language, and subject classification. This is not a bureaucratic footnote.

Bibliographic metadata is what makes a book discoverable, when a buyer in Nairobi, a librarian in London, or a distributor in Dubai searches for one of our titles. It is the metadata tied to the ISBN that determines whether that book appears in their system at all.

Countries that treat ISBN as a registered formality – issuing numbers without capturing metadata – effectively remove themselves from the global catalogue.

The international standard recognizes the evolving realities of modern publishing. The ISBN-13 format, adopted globally in 2007, was designed to accommodate self-publishers, digital publications, and micro-publishers alongside traditional publishing houses. The framework does not restrict access to registered commercial entities. It only requires that each distinct product edition receives a unique identifier, regardless of who produces it. Our current practice of routing all ISBN access through publishing houses is therefore not a requirement of the international system. It is a local policy choice that warrants serious review.

That policy is producing real consequences on the ground though. A troubling pattern has emerged: authors pushed into partnerships formed out of necessity, not choice, and some setting up paper publishing houses purely as administrative workarounds. The concern behind these restrictions is legitimate — who ensures quality if access opens up? But ISBN is an identifier, not a quality gate. Gatekeeping through ISBN does not produce better books. Quality is built through strong editorial processes, credible institutions, and informed readers, it belongs to the ecosystem, not the number.

Our restrictions of ISBN access to publishing houses are not an international requirement, it is a local policy choice, and one that warrants serious review.

Four shifts can move ISBN from the margins to the center. Make it mandatory for all publicly funded publications — instantly formalizing a large share of the sector. Build a national book database so every ISBN contributes to a metadata-rich record of our intellectual output that feeds into the global register of publishers. Open direct access for self-published authors and micro-publishers, in line with how the international framework already operates. And invest in awareness — so every author and publisher understands that ISBN is not a bureaucratic hurdle; it is the gateway to being found, sold, and read beyond our borders.

The role of ISBN is not to control what gets published. Its role is to ensure that what is published is visible, traceable, and part of a functioning system. We have the structure, what it now needs is the strategy.

If we want our stories to be seen, sold, studied, and exported, ISBN must move from the back of the book to the center of the system. What is not identified does not exist.

Mutesi Gasana is a publisher and author.