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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 10:01:40 GMT
I have recently received a proof copy of a book I created with Lulu. I assigned one of my own ISBNs to the book at the start of the book design process, and I went on to use Lulu's basic cover design tool, where the ISBN barcode is automatically printed on the back cover of the book. I have received a proof copy, and a completely different barcode appears on the back of the book. Going in to the cover design section again, I can see the generated cover at the bottom of the screen has the incorrect barcode. This does not make any sense, as I assigned my own completely different barcode to my book project. Anyone else had this problem? I have raised a support ticket with Lulu, but no response.
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Post by Ken on Apr 10, 2021 10:23:56 GMT
Is the barcode on the received copy an ISBN or just a printers ref?
Is the project for Global Dist?
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 10:40:01 GMT
Hi, it's an ISBN on the back cover, but does not match the one I assigned to the book. The book is for Global Distribution.
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Post by Ken on Apr 10, 2021 11:24:29 GMT
Can you post an image?
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 11:47:36 GMT
The correct ISBN for this book is: 978-0-9930387-8-5 It has already been assigned to the book, as confirmed at the end of the book design process on Lulu. The project ID is: 6v529m  |
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 11:52:08 GMT
Please note I am using the basic cover design tool on Lulu, in my case a "Two Color Image" template. On the cover design page, the first image of the back cover has the correct ISBN showing. But the image at the bottom of the screen has the incorrect ISBN, and this is what appears on the physical copy of the book. I have tried clicking on the "use this cover" button on the book design page, to try to refresh/rectify the problem, but the wrong (seemingly random) barcode still appears on the back cover of the book in the image at the bottom of the screen.
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Post by Ken on Apr 10, 2021 12:18:03 GMT
Strange.
You could try temporarily replacing the ISBN at the design stage.
Then select Use This Cover.
If that shows the replaced ISBN, go back and reuse the original.
BTW. In the text for the back cover it needs to be just one paragraph, no spaces separating paras or you end with glyphs as seen in your image before the last sentence.
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 12:25:57 GMT
Strange. You could try temporarily replacing the ISBN at the design stage. Then select Use This Cover. If that shows the replaced ISBN, go back and reuse the original. BTW. In the text for the back cover it needs to be just one paragraph, no spaces separating paras or you end with glyphs as seen in your image before the last sentence. Ah yes, I noticed the glyphs. It's a shame you can't have separate paragraphs. Unfortunately I cannot replace the ISBN as it is automatically generated and the correct ISBN is already assigned to the book, you cannot change it in the book design process. I'm waiting for a response from Lulu, but will have a look at the cover design page again and see if there's someway I can redo it. Thanks for your help. |
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Post by Ken on Apr 10, 2021 12:45:51 GMT
You could try another project.
You can go a fair way thro the creation process and still delete it.
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 12:53:47 GMT
You could try another project. You can go a fair way thro the creation process and still delete it. Yes, I had considered that. But I've already lost several ISBNS I bought through the UK ISBN Agency since the website upgrade. I have found that if I delete a project, giving it up as a mess, with all the problems I've had with Lulu since the upgrade, the ISBN I assigned to it is flagged up as unavailable/already taken when I try to assign it to another project. On a happier note, I have just been back into the cover design stage, and removed the glyphs so it's just one paragraph, as you suggested. Then, when I clicked on "use this cover", lo and behold, the correct barcode is now showing on the image of the cover at the bottom of the screen. I have just ordered another proof copy, so hopefully I've sorted it out, though not sure why another barcode should have been showing in the first place. |
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Post by Ken on Apr 10, 2021 13:36:04 GMT
 Good news.
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Post by benziger on Apr 10, 2021 14:59:23 GMT
But I've already lost several ISBNS I bought through the UK ISBN Agency since the website upgrade. I have found that if I delete a project, giving it up as a mess, with all the problems I've had with Lulu since the upgrade, the ISBN I assigned to it is flagged up as unavailable/already taken when I try to assign it to another project. An ISBN can used once. That means for one book. But if you start a project and this project never becomes a book, the ISBN is not used and can be used for another book. That are the ISBN rules. Lulu cannot block your numbers. - try to erase the not used numbers in the abandoned projects. Can you use the ISBN again? - ask support to deblock the not used ISBN. As they are yours, they cannot do that. (They are neither the ISBN agency, nor the ISBN police.)
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Post by Retread-Retired-Cameron on Apr 10, 2021 17:18:41 GMT
Part of what may be blocking a Self Publisher from using an ISBN they own through a new distribution service is opting into a former service's extended distribution. As stated in the article below opting for Global Distribution through Lulu Press means even if you own the ISBN and quit using Lulu Press then you can't continue using that number if you decide to go with Ingram Spark. It should be noted the article was written back in 2016 and uses Create Space as an example but it holds true for using Amazon KDP or Lulu Press and expanded distribution. selfpublishingadvice.org/isbns-for-self-published-books/ |
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Post by richard on Apr 10, 2021 18:15:56 GMT
But I've already lost several ISBNS I bought through the UK ISBN Agency since the website upgrade. I have found that if I delete a project, giving it up as a mess, with all the problems I've had with Lulu since the upgrade, the ISBN I assigned to it is flagged up as unavailable/already taken when I try to assign it to another project. An ISBN can used once. That means for one book. But if you start a project and this project never becomes a book, the ISBN is not used and can be used for another book. That are the ISBN rules. Lulu cannot block your numbers. - try to erase the not used numbers in the abandoned projects. Can you use the ISBN again? - ask support to deblock the not used ISBN. As they are yours, they cannot do that. (They are neither the ISBN agency, nor the ISBN police.)
Hi, the projects I assigned those three ISBNs to are no longer in my account, they were permanently deleted projects that were never published or went into Global Distribution. They were, rather, experiments I tinkered with last year when I was trying out the new book design program after the website upgrade. I have created a support ticket with Lulu explaining the problem and listing the three ISBNs that I wish to be unblocked and released back to me for future use. |
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Post by benziger on Apr 10, 2021 20:18:18 GMT
I would have the tickets reopened or create a new ticket. As a regular reader of this forum, it seems to me that in certain cases, depending on the staff member handling a case, different solutions are possible at Lulu.
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