CIRCULAR LETTER NO. 808

January 27, 2011

TO: Printing and Publishing Officials of the Federal Government

SUBJECT: GPO Publications Sales eBooks

This letter is to inform you that the United States Government Printing Office (GPO) will be offering its Federal agency partners the option to publish and distribute books in eBook format through the Publication Sales Program, in addition to any printed formats that GPO already may disseminate for your agency. Please note that eBook formats will be considered as another format offering available for all current and future Federal publications.

In line with standard Federal publication development practice, these eBooks will require distinct International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs) which are entirely separate from ISBNs assigned to any hardcover or paperback formats of a particular publication title. In order for GPO to properly assign and record ISBNs for eBook format publications please note and prepare responses as necessary for the following items below:

If your Agency does not wish to have an eBook format for a previously printed item made available for sale through the GPO Publication Sales Program, please make contact with Mr. Jeffrey Turner (using the contact information below)
If your Agency's publications currently have ISBNs assigned by GPO, then no further action is required. GPO will also assign the electronic ISBNs.
If your Agency currently assigns the print ISBN, then it would be preferable for your agency also to provide an ISBN for the eBook version. Please provide GPO with contact information so we can coordinate this with you.

GPO staff will be contacting the appropriate persons within your agency in the next few weeks via telephone and email to compile the above information into GPO’s records. If you have any questions about the information contained in this Circular Letter, please contact: Jeffrey Turner, Director for Publication Sales and Marketing at jturner@gpo.gov.

Sincerely,

R.T. SULLIVAN
Acting Managing Director, Print Procurement