Are you a Namibian author looking to apply for an ISBN for your new book?

I know that there aren’t too many resources out there helping you understand where or how to obtain your ISBN. I wanted to point you in the right direction real quick.

Who issues book ISBNs in Namibia?

Very similar to the South African National Library, the institution in charge of issuing a new ISBN to a self-publishing author is the National Library of Namibia. Here is a link to the NLN website, specifically the part referring to ISBN applications. (Yeah, the website seems like it came straight out of the 90’s…)

Legal Deposit Location in Namibia?

Any Namibian author obtaining an ISBN is required by law to print and share copies with the National Library. Here was the physical address I found from the NLN website:

What does an ISBN cost?

Applying for an ISBN from Namibia is free of charge.

How to apply for a Namibian ISBN?

To find your local ISBN agency, browse the International ISBN Agency platform. Flip the “Find an agency” select box to “Namibia”. Done.

As shown from the screen grabs below, you can then email your ISBN requirements to either of these addresses: (I hear they are efficient.)

Need a matching barcode for your new ISBN?

Here’s a free barcode generator for your ISBN. This barcode should then be placed on your back-cover by your cover designer.

How to publish my book to Amazon?

For those of you wanting to publish your new book through Amazon: give this article a good read. Yes, I did write the article for South African writers however, most of the answers won’t differ for those of you calling Namibia your home. The only headache I think that Namibian authors might still have, will be collecting royalty payments directly from Amazon.

How to collect Amazon royalties for Namibian authors?

1. If you have a bank account in a first world country, this is first prize. 🏆
2. Some of you may have, or be able to open, a South African bank account. SA Bank accounts should work with Amazon.
3. As a last resort, you could always look into a country-agnostic solution such as Payoneer. (It works, however the fees can be exorbitant.)

I really hope this short article helps those writers from our neighbouring Namibia. If it does, I would love to hear from you down below 💬

/ This article is dedicated to Namibian author Hilma Weber.