Apply for Cataloguing in Publication

On this page

• Eligibility
• Before you apply
• Apply for CIP
• After you apply

Eligibility

Eligible publishers

We provide Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) services to Canadian publishers, such as:

• trade publishers
• university presses
• non-profit associations
• art galleries
• museums

Publishers that are not eligible

We do not provide CIP services to these types of publishers:

• publishers that do not have a Canadian address, even if their publications are written, printed or distributed in Canada
• publishers/companies that charge for publishing, writing or editorial services for any of their publications
• self-publishers (not including non-profit associations, galleries and museums):
  • authors or contributors who publish their works at their own expense
  • publishers that mainly publish works written, edited, illustrated or translated by:
    • their organization's or their imprint's owners, founders, or employees
    • any individual closely associated with any of the persons mentioned above
  • publishers that mainly publish the works of a single author
• book vendors, distributors, printers, production houses and other intermediaries
• federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments

Eligible publications

We provide CIP services for print and electronic publications that are:

• published in Canada
• forthcoming (not yet published)
• intended for public distribution

Publications that are not eligible

We do not provide CIP services for these types of publications:

• websites, blogs, wikis
• elementary and secondary school material (such as student texts, readers, and teachers' resources)
• periodical/serial publications (including annuals and loose-leaf publications that are intended to be updated)
• publications intended for limited distribution (such as to family members; friends; group members; participants at an event, conference or seminar; or company clients)
• electronic versions of material previously published in print or another format
• simple reprints issued by the same publisher and having the same ISBN
• special formats, such as:
  • audiobooks
  • audio-visual material (such as DVDs, CDs, and CD-ROMs)
  • music scores and sheet music
  • ephemeral publications (such as leaflets, calendars, diaries, trade catalogues, phone books, game books, colouring books, crossword books, and blank books)
  • games, posters, and maps
  • kits (packages of assorted materials, for example a booklet with a set of picture cards, a music CD or DVD; or a book with a toy, a stuffed animal or a poster)

Before you apply

• Apply at least 15 days before the CIP data is required
• Prepare proof of the title page
• Prepare preface, introduction, cover, and table of contents if applicable

Apply for CIP

• Complete the Cataloguing in Publication (CIP) application form
• Attach a proof of the title page
• Attach proofs of the preface, introduction, cover, and table of contents if available
• Contact CIP to email us any proofs that you did not attach to the application form

About your information

Information, including personal information that you submit in your CIP application may be made publicly available through online cataloguing databases. We record this information to credit authors and publishers for their works and to help our clients find publications. Our cataloguing records follow internationally accepted standards of bibliographic description and are available to the national and international library communities.

After you apply

• You will receive an email with a CIP confirmation number (use this number when contacting us about your application)
• We may contact you if we need more information
• We will email your CIP data block (as a .txt file) by your required date if that date is at least 15 days later than the date of application
• Place the data block on the title page verso of the book

Changes to the book before publication

If you make changes to the book after receiving the CIP data block, contact CIP right away. As long as the book has not yet been published and time allows, we will make any necessary revisions and send you an updated data block.