Library and Archives Canada (LAC) has changed its rules for issuing International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs), requiring applicants to confirm that their publications were written by humans rather than generated by artificial intelligence.
The amendment, introduced in August 2026, applies to English-language books published in Canada. It makes human authorship a condition for obtaining the identifiers used to register, catalogue and distribute books through commercial publishing channels.
LAC is responsible for assigning ISBNs to English-language publications in the country. Although the agency does not automatically reject publishers’ initial requests, it monitors how frequently and in what quantities applicants seek additional numbers.
Large ISBN Requests Face Additional Scrutiny
The agency has also outlined measures to manage requests from self-published authors. Applicants who seek unusually large allocations of ISBNs within a short period may experience delays before receiving additional blocks.
For example, an author requesting 1,000 ISBNs over a brief period could have the allocation postponed. Self-published writers generally receive ISBN blocks containing 10 numbers at a time.
The measures affect publishing operations that rely on artificial intelligence to produce large volumes of books, particularly low-cost and self-publishing businesses.
ISBN Restrictions Could Affect Commercial Distribution
An ISBN is a unique 13-digit identifier assigned to a particular edition of a book. The number allows publications to be identified and tracked across the international book trade, including sales, cataloguing and distribution.
Books can still reach readers without an ISBN through direct sales and digital platforms that do not require the identifier. However, access to conventional commercial distribution channels becomes more difficult without one.
Clément Arsenault, a retired professor from the University of Montreal’s School of Library and Information Studies, described LAC’s decision as an effort to prevent AI-generated publications from overwhelming the publishing industry and to protect the intellectual property of human authors.
He said the agency’s position reflects an understanding of a literary work as something containing human intellectual or artistic contribution, which it does not consider AI-generated text to satisfy.
Quebec’s French-Language Publishing System Maintains Different Approach
The new requirements do not currently apply across Canada’s French-language publishing sector.
Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), which assigns ISBNs to French-language books, has not introduced comparable restrictions on publications created using artificial intelligence.
BAnQ officials said they are waiting for guidance from the International ISBN Agency before deciding how to approach AI-generated works, with the aim of remaining consistent with international standards.
However, the organisation is already experiencing an increase in applications linked largely to self-publishing.
BAnQ Reports Sharp Increase in ISBN Applications
Mireille Laforce, BAnQ’s director of acquisitions, said the institution assigned more than 1,000 ISBN sequences during the 2024–2025 period.
The number for the current year had already reached 1,000 by the end of September. Projections suggest allocations could rise to 2,000 in 2026.
The growing volume of applications has prompted BAnQ to employ additional staff to maintain its usual processing time of 10 working days for ISBN assignments.
Growing Publication Numbers Put Pressure on National Library Resources
The increase in published works is also affecting legal deposit operations. Under the requirements, publishers and self-published authors must submit two copies of each publication to the National Library of Canada.
Julie Rodrigue, director general of the National Library at BAnQ, said the growing number of submissions was placing pressure on both physical storage facilities and digital preservation resources.
She noted that the institution’s responsibility to acquire all published works means rising publication volumes have direct implications for its conservation capacity.
International ISBN System Dates Back to 1970
The ISBN system was established internationally in 1970 and is now used in nearly 200 countries. Each book edition receives a unique 13-digit number that supports identification and management throughout the publishing industry.
LAC’s decision to make human authorship a requirement for ISBN allocations to English-language publications introduces a distinction between human-written and AI-generated books within Canada’s bibliographic system.
The approach differs from the current position of BAnQ, which has not introduced equivalent restrictions for French-language publications while awaiting international guidance.
