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SL6 label format

Learn the file specifications and view an example of a SL6 label in the Cataloging Label Program.

The OCLC Cataloging Label Program can import labels in SL6 format (one spine label, two double-spaced pocket labels) from a text file.   

File specifications include:

  • Each label must be 18 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 15 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 can be up to 2 lines long, up to 28 characters wide.
  • The author must start on line 3. If the call number is only one line long, leave a blank line.
  • The author on each pocket label can be up to three lines long, 28 characters wide; the second and third lines must be indented one space (begin in column 13 instead of column 12).
  • If the author is only 1 or 2 lines long, a blank line must be inserted between the author and the title.
  • If there is no author, the title must start on line 5.
  • The title on each pocket label can be up to three lines long, 28 characters wide; the second and third lines must be indented one space (begin in column 13 instead of column 12).
  • The second pocket label must start on line 9, 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
3 .I972     Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-
4 G6         1949.
5 1984
6           Gone with the wind
7
8
9           PS 3525 .I972 G6 1984
0
1           Mitchell, Margaret, 1900-
2            1949.
3
4           Gone with the wind
5
6
7
8
9 PS        PS 3558 .A64438 I38 1997
0 3558
1 .A64438   Harris, E. Lynn.
2 I38
3 1997      If this world were mine
4
5
6
7           PS 3558 .A64438 I38 1997
8
9           Harris, E. Lynn.
0
1           If this world were mine
2
3
4
5
6
7 GN        GN 400 .E85
8 400
9 .E85      Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1902-
0            1973.
1
2           Social anthropology and
3            other essays
4
5           GN 400 .E85
6
7           Evans-Pritchard, E. E. 1902-
8            1973.
9
0           Social anthropology and
1            other essays
2
3
4
5 F         F 294 .S2 B48 1994
6 294
7 .S2       Berendt, John, 1939-
8 B48
9 1994      Midnight in the garden of
0            good and evil
1
2
3           F 294 .S2 B48 1994
4
5           Berendt, John, 1939-
6
7           Midnight in the garden of
8            good and evil
9
0
1
2
3 LB        LB 1025.2 .K7x 1504
4 1025.2
5 .K7x
6 1504
7           Philosophy of education in
8            cultural perspective
9
0
1           LB 1025.2 .K7x 1504
2
3
4
5           Philosophy of education in
6            cultural perspective
7
8
9
0