Non-ISBN items are items Posted by a member onto his or her account Bookshelf using a customized (not pre-existing) listing.  This is necessary when:

• The book being posted has no ISBN
• The book does have an ISBN, but the PBS database is using that ISBN for another version (binding type or Large Print)  of the book
• The book does have an ISBN, but the PBS database is using that ISBN for a completely different book (this is rare, but it does happen that publishers reuse ISBNs) 
• The book does have an ISBN, but the PBS database does not include a listing for it.

A book that is posted using the Post Book Without an ISBN feature will be listed on PBS with a "short ISBN" (usually 5 or 6 digits).

The posting member created this listing using the Post Books Without an ISBN link on the Post Books page, entering the information manually that applies to his or her specific copy of the book (this information includes book dimensions and book description).  This means that:

• Non-ISBN items (Items listed with "short" (5-digit) numbers in place of the ISBN) should not be edited using the Edit Book Data link.
  • This is because each "non-ISBN" item was posted into the system by the member who had that specific copy of the book, when his or her book did not match any pre-written listing in the system.
    • Thus, each "non-ISBN" item represents one copy of the book, and unless you have that exact copy that was posted using that listing by the original poster, the information (eg, book dimensions) about your copy of the book may not apply.
  • This also means that for a posting member who posts a book without an ISBN and makes  a typo/mistake in doing so, this cannot be edited after submitting the listing: the listing will need to be removed from the account Bookshelf and reposted correctly.

Because the listing was created manually, the listing represents only one specific copy of the book, and the book is not linked to any other item in the database, even if the titles are the same.  This means that:

• non-ISBN books on a Wish List
  • will not trigger "Similar-to-wished-for-item" alerts
  • will not trigger a Wish List offer unless that particular copy is reposted into the system by someone who received it through PBS (using the Repost Books area or TBR Pile)
  •  will not be removed automatically when another version of that title is received through the Wish List.
• "Short ISBNs"
  • should not be reused to post another copy of that book (the Post Books field will accept only 10 or 13 digit ISBNs)
    • this is because it is possible that not all the information the first poster provided about the book will match another book of the same title that needs to be posted without an ISBN
    • So you should NOT click "Post this book" on a listing you find in the system (you should not do that in general - the way to post a book accurately is to start from the Post Books page).
  • cannot be added to a Book List (TBR Pile or Books I've Read) manually.
    • If that copy of the book is received through PBS, it can be added to TBR when it is received
    • If that copy of the book is received through PBS, it can be added to BIR when it is reposted from the TBR Pile or Books to Repost area
• non-ISBN items on the Club Wish List if no ISBN version of the book is currently wished-for
  • These are usually "LEFTOVER" wishes
  • Meaning: usually, the wisher already got an ISBN version of the book, and neglected to remove the non-ISBN version from her Wish List
    • the removal would not have been done automatically by the system when the ISBN version was received, since the items are not linked
  • If you see a non-ISBN item on a Wish List, it is likely that no one is actually currently wishing for that title; these are usually "leftover" wishes

In other words, it is not very effective to put a non-ISBN item in the database onto a Wish List.

Related Links:

How do I post a book without an ISBN?
I have a book on the Club Wish List but it doesn't have an ISBN
My book's on the Club Wish List, with a different/no ISBN
I have a book on the Club Wish List. Can I contact the wisher?
My book's on the Club Wish List! Why hasn't it been requested?
What is the Club Wish List?
How to use the Club Wish List
What is the Wish List?
How the Wish List Works