How to print a book in Ethiopia: ISBN, legal deposit, paper and binding

What do you need before printing a book?

A printer prints what you send, so everything below should be final before the proof stage.

1. A proofread manuscript laid out as a print-ready PDF at the finished size, with the fonts embedded.
2. An ISBN, printed on the copyright page and as a barcode on the back cover.
3. A cover design with the right spine width, which depends on the page count and the paper.
4. Decisions on size, paper, colour, binding and the number of copies.

How do you get an ISBN in Ethiopia?

The National Archive and Library Agency (NALA) in Addis Ababa is Ethiopia’s national registry centre for ISBNs. Contact the Agency with the book’s title, author and publisher before printing, so the number can go on the copyright page and the barcode on the back cover. Its contact details are on nala.gov.et.

What is legal deposit?

Under the Ethiopian National Archives and Library Proclamation No. 179/1999, any printer or publisher of printed matter must deposit copies of it with the Agency (Article 19), within thirty days of printing, by registered post or special messenger (Article 20). Books prepared in Ethiopia but printed abroad are deposited by the publisher or author: three copies. The deposited copies join Ethiopia’s national collection. Agree with your printer who will deposit.

Softcover or hardcover?

The binding decides how the book opens, how long it lasts and part of the price.

What decides the price per copy?

The page count, the finished size, the paper, colour or black and white, the binding and the quantity. With offset printing the set-up cost is shared across the whole run, so the price per copy falls as the quantity rises: for a few dozen copies digital printing is usually cheaper, and for hundreds or thousands offset is.