Skip to main content
OCLC Support

SL4 label format

  1. Last updated
  2. Save as PDF
Learn the file specifications and view an example of a SL4 label in the Cataloging Label Program.

The OCLC Cataloging Label Program can import labels in SL4 format (one spine, two single-spaced pocket labels) from a text file.  

File specifications include:

  • Each label must be 12 lines long; this includes blank lines between labels.
  • The first column must be blank on all lines.
  • The spine label can be up to 8 characters wide (columns 2-9) and up to 9 lines long.
  • The pocket label data must start on column 12 and can be up to 28 characters wide (columns 12-40).
  • The call number on each pocket label is one line long, up to 28 characters wide.
  • The author on each pocket label can be up to two lines long, 28 characters wide; the second line must be indented one space (begin in column 13 instead of column 12).
  • If there is no author, a blank line must be inserted between the call number and title on each pocket label.
  • The title on each pocket label can be up to two lines long, 28 characters wide; the second line must be indented one space (begin in column 13 instead of column 12).
  • The second pocket label must start on line 6, following the same specifications as the first pocket label.

Label examples with column and row numbers included:

 1234567890123456789012345678901234567890
1 PS        PS 3525 .I972 G6 1984
2 3525      Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-
3 .I972      1949.
4 G6        Gone with the wind
5 1984
6           PS 3525 .I972 G6 1984
7           Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-
8            1949.
9           Gone with the wind
0
1
2
3 PS        PS 3558 .A64438 I38 1997
4 3558      Harris, E. Lynn.
5 .A64438   If this world were mine
6 I38
7 1997
8           PS 3558 .A64438 I38 1997
9           Harris, E. Lynn.
0           If this world were mine
1
2
3
4
5 GN        GN 400 .E85
6 400       Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1902-
7 .E85       1973.
8           Social anthropology and
9            other essays
0           GN 400 .E85
1           Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1902-
2            1973.
3           Social anthropology and
4            other essays
5
6
7 F         F 294 .S2 B48 1994
8 294       Berendt, John, 1939-
9 .S2       Midnight in the garden of
0 B48        good and evil
1 1994
2           F 294 .S2 B48 1994
3           Berendt, John, 1939-
4           Midnight in the garden of
5            good and evil
6
7
8
9 LB        LB 1025.2 .K7x 1504
0 1025.2
1 .K7x      Philosophy of education in
2 1504       cultural perspective
3
4           LB 1025.2 .K7x 1504
5
6           Philosophy of education in
7            cultural perspective
8
9
0