Book Copyright and ISBN
Copyright
In the US and Canada, copyright of your manuscript is secured automatically when the work is created. A work is "created" when it is fixed in a copy for the first time. However, registering your copyright has several legal advantages in the event your copyright is infringed upon or challenged as it establishes a public record of the copyright claim. Registration may be made at any time within the life of the copyright, and is most often made after the book is printed.
US: www.loc.gov/copyright
Canada: www.cipo.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cipointernet-internetopic.nsf/eng/h_wr00003.html
ISBN (International Standard Book Number)
A worldwide identification system that assigns a unique number to every publisher and every published book. The ISBN appears on the copyright page and on the back of the book, usually as part of the bar code. If you want bookstores to consider carrying your book, this ID number is a must.
US: www.isbn.org
Canada: www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/isn/041011-1000-e.html