Formatted Call Number Generator

From reviewed records to printed spine labels

Prepare one CSV row per intended label. Select DDC or LC before importing and use the matching headers. The form generates an author mark from name fields; compare that mark with your approved call number, especially for LC and locally adjusted Cutters.

DDC input example

location,classNumber,authorLastName,authorFirstName,title,year,volume,copy
Ref,025.3,Besorio,Darwin,Cataloging practice workbook,2026,,1

This is fictional teaching data. DDC requires nonblank location, classNumber, authorLastName, title, and year. LC instead requires location, lcLetters, lcNumber, authorLastName, and year. Header names are case-sensitive. Resolve missing values through catalog review rather than inventing them to pass validation.

Check a small batch first

1. Preserve class numbers as text and quote CSV titles containing commas.
2. Import a few records and generate the preview.
3. Check class, author mark, year, volume, and copy against the approved records.
4. Select paper size and adjust label dimensions, gaps, and text.
5. Print on plain paper and compare alignment at the top and bottom of the label sheet.
6. Process up to 50 records per run, checking the generated count against each source batch.

Why are my printed labels misaligned?

Check printer paper size, scale, margins, label dimensions, and browser headers or footers. A preview cannot account for every printer’s feed and printable area. Save settings only after a physical test succeeds.

Can I import a complete approved call number?

The current input expects components and generates the author mark. It has no dedicated override for a reviewed Cutter. If generation changes an approved value, use a workflow that preserves that value before printing.

Related guides

• Exact CSV headers and quoting examples
• Complete spine-label workflow
• Catch record and label errors