National Archives of Malawi
ADVANTAGES OF THE ISBN SYSTEM
The system provides for quick identification of publishers in the country. Today in Malawi, we have so many publishers most of whom are not known. The ISBN system encourages such publishers to get known through registration so that their published works can be preserved in the National Archives.
To the publishers, it is an effective and efficient way of free publicity. All their books, which bear an ISBN are listed in the Malawi National Bibliography as well as in the international publishers catalogues, thereby enhancing book orders and distribution. Ideally all publications which are assigned with an ISBN from any part of the world are supposed to be listed in the International Books in Print (IBP) or Books in Print (BIP), respectively, both of which are international publishers catalogues. Registered publishers are also publicized free through listing in the Publishers’ International ISBN Directory (PIID), which is revised and published every year, both in printed and electronic formats.
It allows for worldwide bibliographic identification of publications and their publishers. This element applies to publications, which may bear the same title but published in different countries, e.g. Senior Secondary English.
The system encourages publishers in the country to voluntarily deposit their publications with the National Archives of Malawi as per the requirements of the Printed Publications Act. This is an economic way of enforcing the legal deposit legislation because experience shows that most publishers rarely volunteer to deposit their publications with the National Archives of Malawi even though they are aware of the benefit as well as their obligation. It is pleasing to note that almost 90% of those who are registered in the use and application of the system comply with the legal depository requirements, unlike those who are not registered.