Kevin - I have said on numerous occasions that using an ISBN assigned to Lulu makes them the Publisher of Record - however they are not a TRUE publisher any more that PA is a true publisher.
You can say it as many times as you like, it does not make it true. Lulu's ISBNs record them as the publisher, therefore they are ... Just what on earth do you mean that they are not a true publisher?
The good news is that Lulu is NOT a scam like PA is. PA tries to convince people they are a tradional publisher when all they all is a vanity press that preys on people.
Traditional Vanity Press are companies that take money off you to create a book, print a few 100, and mail them all to you. Lulu are not at all like that. There is no comparison.
Lulu is upfront that they are a printer - printing book using print on demand technology - that has been set up to make it possible for people to self publish their books.
No, Lulu are not a printer. Lulu do not print the books and a printer does not give you ISBNs that get you listed in book lists or in to on-line book stores - whereas Lulu do.
They have a established relationships with various distribution channels that allow they to be able to assist creators and the small press publishers who use them as their printer and distributor, to get into those channels - again without having to maintain an inventory of books and without the extreme risk of having to accept returns (this serves to put a serious roadblock in the road to getting into brink and morter stores).
Indeed, so what do you mean they are not a publisher then? That is exactly what a publisher does. The main difference is that it is us, using Lulu's free tools, to get to that stage.
I had read that obtaining my own ISBN or paying for it would be the route I would need to take in order to become the publisher of record.
Indeed, but then you will have to opt for the dearest of Lulu's distibution options, when actually there is no need to.
Then I would just need LULU to print on demand for me. This is in line with what you said. I have been trying to sort this out with Lulu since Tuesday of last week.
Is that all? A week? You could have asked in the forum section specifically about ISBNs.
The other issue I have is that the copy edit has my publishing company with a logo on the copyright page. I don't want to run in to any other issues regarding the fact that I have stated this and am wanting to be the publisher. Do you see any issues with this even though the ISBN is linked to Lulu as the publisher of record.
No, I have already said that. Lulu do not seem to care if they are mentioned or not because you can even delete their own icon from off the covers.
When I filled out the "Your ISBN" ISBN form which cost me $99, I put the name of my publishing company on the form. My assumption is that when they sent me the "Your ISBN", that this istruly my ISBN and Lulu has not ties to it?Lulu sent the form to obtain the ISBN from Bowker. When I received the "Your ISBN" that is the one I wanted to use for this project, I have not signed up for distribution yet unless they signed me up freely like they did with the original ISBN.
But that $99 is the fee for a distribution pack, but you have taken the option to use your own ISBN. Why, I am not really sure. Using your own ISBN does not make it any less 'self-published'.
It appears that I can delete revisions
Then you do not have ISBNs assigned.
but I don't know how to retire a project.
It's the same thing, except if you have an ISBN it gives you the option to Retire when you try to Delete.
to make matter more interesting, my wife has a book signing this Saturday and I am getting just a little nervous at this point because of the response time from LULU.
Well yes. But apart from all of this messing around it can take up 2 two weeks for a book to arrive, and when it does it may not be printed correctly anyway. Did you order a proof first?
Thank you for any continued feedback you can provide.
I am only replying to the best of my knowledge, I have come a long way in the last week understanding a little more regarding the legal jargon. So i will try my best at providing what I feel I know.
Well that's what we try to do too 
Started the book in June. I am on my second copy edit within 3 weeks.....simultaneously,
Via Revision or just on the file on your PC? I think you said big changes via Revision.
the questions regarding the ISBN surfaced when LULU sent me an email telling me that I had to pay for my ISBN to obtain it from Bowker for $99.
Well yes because it is not a Lulu ISBN. Which I am still not sure why you do not want when millions are happy using such.
I still don't know why they did this if they already knew I had a free ISBN (their ISBN) for the same project.They said nothing in their email regarding distribution it was solely linked to the ability to have my own ISBN for this particular book.
Did you not at first state that you said you want to use an ISBN you bought from some other place? Only the $99 Lulu distribution pack allows that.
I understand to some extent how one (ISBN#'s) is intertwined with the other (Distribution).
Not sure what you mean there. ISBNs have nothing to do with each other.
thanks for the feedback on the logo, Lulu was never the the logo on the book, I guess my graphic design person took care of that. I just did not want there to be a conflict of interest. Applying my logo of a publishing company on the inside of the book above the ISBN while LULU owns the ISBN
So you are using a Lulu ISBN then? I am getting very confused here. But anyway, an ISBN is a code that can only be read by a barcode scanner, so it's not as if it's obvious who a Lulu ISBN belongs to is it?
The distribution packages are different values, the $99 dollars was specifically for my ISBN. For example the Global distribution package is an additional $75 through LULU
Indeed they are, and one is free. As to if your problem has been solved I have no idea now!
I misworded....I can delete my revisions from my first copy edit...the original ISBN (LULU's) sticks
I will most likely set a different format for the book, in lieu of A5 I will go with the 6x9 and use my own ISBN. My understanding is that I have more control over the price tag of my book in different markets and how I go to market.
3rd copy should be a charm. I bought more copies and expedited the freight...one helped balance the cost of the other.
Thanks for any other additional ideas or comments in advance.
