Can an ISBN be reused for a different book after the original publication has ended?

When a book is published with an ISBN, that number becomes a permanent record of the book. It cannot be transferred to another book, nor can it be reused for new publications. This is to prevent confusion and ensure that each ISBN remains a unique reference to a specific book. If a book is printed with the wrong ISBN, a new, unused ISBN must be assigned, and the correction must be updated across all industry databases.

In the case of company acquisitions, ISBNs can be transferred to the new owner along with other assets of the company. However, for self-publishers, ISBNs cannot be transferred on an individual basis. If the self-publisher originally obtained their ISBN from a printer or a publisher service company, they would need to get their own ISBN to be identified as the publisher.

For authors who get the publishing rights back to their book, they can choose to use the original publisher's ISBN, but it is not required. If they wish to be identified as the publisher, they would need to obtain a new ISBN for their publication.

In conclusion, the ISBN system is designed to ensure the uniqueness and proper tracking of books. It does not allow for the reuse of ISBNs, maintaining the integrity of the bibliographic and retail systems that depend on these identifiers. If a book requires a new ISBN due to substantial changes, a new edition, or change in publisher, it must be assigned a new, unused ISBN.