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OCLC Support

Print labels

Learn how to create labels, set label formats, and print labels in CatExpress.

About printing labels in CatExpress

  • The OCLC Cataloging Label Program is required to create labels from CatExpress.
    • To view, edit, and print labels for a bibliographic record, you need the latest version of the Label Program (version 1.22 or later) installed on your workstation.
    • The Label Program is a Microsoft Windows-based application that is available at no charge from the OCLC web site. You must have Microsoft Windows to use the Label Program.

Download and install Label Program

  1. Install the OCLC Cataloging Label Program or upgrade to the latest version (1.22 or later) on the workstation you use to do CatExpress work.
  2. (Optional). If you have not previously used the Label Program, you may need to:
    • View and update settings for Label Program options.
    • Select a label printer if you do not use your Windows default printer for label printing.
    • Load label stock in your printer and check the alignment by printing a test label.

Set label format in CatExpress

  1. On the General tab, under Admin Options, click Preferences.
  2. At the Preferences screen, click Express Options.
  3. On the Express Options screen, under Default Label Format, click to select one of the option buttons:
    • SL4 (default) (1 spine and 2 single-spaced card pocket labels)
    • SL6 (1 spine and 2 double-spaced card pocket labels)
    • SLB (1 spine and 1 card pocket label)
    • SP1 (spine label)
  4. Click Save as default or Use for this session only to save changes to Express Options.

Create label

  1. Retrieve the bibliographic record for which you want to print labels.
  2. Edit the record as you wish. For example:
    • Supply a call number for the classification scheme your library uses.
    • Type a lowercase x as the only text in a call number field to produce labels without a call number.
    • Type input stamp(s) in brackets in the OCLC Holding Library Code field (049 field, subfield $a).
      • If you type the input stamp to the left of the holding library code, the input stamp will appear above the call number on the spine and to the left of the call number on the pocket.
      • If you type the input stamp to the right of the holding library code, the input stamp will appear below the call number on the spine and to the right of the call number on the pocket.
      • Examples
        • [REF] azum
        • azum [Prof][Shelf]

        Note on call numbers
    • If you type a call number in the record, it will appear in the label.
    • If you do not type a call number, the system will automatically put into the label a call number (of the type you set as your default call number) from the record in the following order:
      • National Library of Medicine: 099, 098, 096, 060, 090, 050
      • Dewey: 099, 098, 092, 090, 050
      • Library of Congress: 099, 098, 090, 050, 092
    • The system does not pull call numbers from 852, 082, or 086 fields.
  3. Click View Label.
     Note: Browser messages. When you generate a single label from CatExpress, the system sends a temporary file to your workstation to load into the Label Program. Some browsers display a message box asking whether to save the file or open it. If you see this message, select the Open option to automatically open the file in the Label Program (version 1.22 or later). To prevent the browser from displaying this message each time you create a single label, click the Don't show again option at the bottom of the message box.
  4. In the Label Program, finish processing the label. You can:
    • Edit the label text, specify print constants, or change the number of copies to print.
    • Print the label(s) now.
    • Save the label to the Label Program local file for later printing.
    • See the Label Program Help for instructions.
     Note: 
    • 9-line spine label in SL6 format. CatExpress sends 9 lines of SL6 spine label information to the Label Program. Most call numbers fit within 9 lines, so you seldom need to make adjustments. The SL6 display in the Label Program allows you to add additional lines on the spine label up to a total of 15, if needed.
    • Prompt to save unedited label. If you close the label window or exit the Label Program after printing, without first saving the displayed label, the Label Program asks whether you want to save the changes to the Label Program file (even if you have not edited the displayed label). Save labels to the Label Program file to print later in batch mode or to keep a file of all labels you print. However, if you do not want to keep your labels in a Label Program file, you may turn off this warning.
      To turn off the warning message,
    • In the Label Program, on the Options menu, click Warn Before Closing Unsaved Label.
  5. The check mark is removed from the option.

Label formats

Label format Label set produced
SL4 1 spine label:
Up to 9 lines of 8 characters each for call number and input stamps
2 card/pocket labels:
5 text lines
Call number: 1 line
Main entry (author or uniform title): 2 lines
Title: 2 lines
No blank lines
SL6 1 spine label:
Up to 15 lines of 8 characters each for call number and input stamps
2 card/pocket labels: 5 text lines
Call number: 1 line
Main entry (author or uniform title): 2 lines
Title: 2 lines
Blank lines separate text groups
Note: 9-line spine label in SL6 format. CatExpress sends 9 lines of SL6 spine label information to the Label Program. Most call numbers fit within 9 lines, so you seldom need to make adjustments. The SL6 display in the Label Program allows you to add additional lines on the spine label up to a total of 15, if needed.
SLB 1 spine label:
Up to 9 lines of 8 characters each for call number and input stamps
1 card/pocket label:
5 text lines
Call number: 1 line
Main entry (author or uniform title): 2 lines
Title: 2 lines
No blank lines
SP1 1 spine label:
Up to 9 lines of 8 characters each for call number and input stamps
No card/pocket labels:

Label Program documentation

The Label Program Getting Started booklet, keyboard template, FAQ, and other information can be found here.