# Canada Restricts ISBN Issuance for AI-Generated Books Library and Archives Canada mandates human authorship to curb AI-generated content flooding the market. - **Source:** [Le Devoir](https://www.ledevoir.com) - **Published:** 2026-11-11 - **Topic:** [culture](https://brifing.si/c/culture) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/a2e903d5-4fcc-42cc-8570-57620b9ed180 ## New AI Policy Library and Archives Canada has updated its ISBN issuance policy to combat the rise of AI-generated books. Applicants must now declare that their works were written by a human. This move aims to prevent automated content from flooding the publishing chain, which relies on these unique identifiers for global distribution and tracking. ## Operational Impact The new rules specifically target high-volume self-publishers. If an author requests large blocks of ISBNs, the agency will now delay or limit the allocation. This measure directly addresses cases like author Coral Hart, who published hundreds of AI-generated titles, ensuring that automated mass production does not overwhelm the national library system. ## Protecting Authorship The agency defines a valid work as one containing intellectual or artistic content, such as original text or musical composition. By restricting ISBNs, they ensure that AI-generated material does not benefit from the professional advantages these numbers provide. This policy is welcomed by author associations seeking to protect human intellectual property rights. ## Symbolic and Practical While the policy is largely symbolic, it serves as a barrier to commercialization for AI-generated books. Although books can still be sold without an ISBN, the lack of this identifier complicates distribution. The agency monitors volume trends to ensure they can maintain equitable service levels for all legitimate human authors and publishers. ## BAnQ's Different Approach In Quebec, the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales (BAnQ) has not yet implemented similar restrictions for French-language books. They are currently consulting with the International ISBN Agency to align their strategy. However, they are experiencing significant pressure, with ISBN sequence requests rising from 1,000 to 1,500 annually due to the surge in self-publishing. ## Resource Strain The influx of self-published titles is straining library resources, requiring additional staff to meet the ten-day processing deadline. Beyond administrative tasks, the legal deposit system faces physical and digital storage challenges. Libraries are mandated to acquire all published works, making the rapid growth of AI-generated content a long-term sustainability concern for archives. ## Historical Context The ISBN system originated in the 1960s to simplify book management for retailers like W.H. Smith. By 1970, the International Standard Organisation globalized the thirteen-digit system. Today, it is used in nearly 200 countries, serving as the unique DNA for every edition of a text, regardless of its global location. ## Future Outlook National libraries are now collaborating to define their role in the age of AI. The goal is to balance the mission of preserving cultural heritage with the reality of automated content production. Future policies will likely focus on systemic changes to the book chain to maintain the integrity of intellectual property. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.ledevoir.com/lire/1023977/isbn-limites-livres-generes-ia — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._