Is there a way to use Librarything to print stickers to label my books? I'm a pastor with a growing personal library. I would like to be able to draw from the database to print a set of labels like the ones used by libraries.

I'm not crazy about the idea of putting stickers on books but there doesn't seem to be any better way of keeping them organized on my shelves. Currently I have them arranged in Dewey Decimal order with the numbers written on the inside of the cover. When I pull multiple books out during study it is time consuming to return them to their proper place on the shelves.

If you don't want to ruin your books by pasting labels on them, use tags - the oldfashioned paper ones. Just cut out strips of paper that are about an inch higher than the book; write or print the label on the top, and put it between the back cover and the last page of your book!

If you're concerned about the labels falling out, and you have a lot of free time (or volunteers): make a 'paper paperclip' by cutting two large incisions into the strip, and slip them over the last few pages.

That sounds like a good idea. The durability of the tags could be an issue. It's certainly worth doing with the more valuable books in my collection.

Thanks

I would like to hear from someone who is making labels from Librarything or from a database that was generated from Librarything.

Instead of using plain paper, I purchased acid free oaktag, which actually came in file folder form, and cut those up for my label slips. It won't damage the pages and is more substantial than just plain paper, which may help with the duralibity issue.

I've got a website that helps format call numbers for spine label printing. Unfortunately, it is for LC numbers, not Dewey. I'll try to add a Dewey version.

Basically, it separates the parts of a call number and places them into fields so that programs such as Word can use them to print labels.

Here's the site, very rudimentary at present:

http://libfixr.com

I hope to add more tools (and make it a bit prettier) in future.

To cut and paste from LibraryThing, make a view for your catalog that is just call numbers, then go into 'power edit' mode (the lightning icon). Then select, copy, and paste.

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Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009:

Sorry folks, the program isn't working right now. My hosting company decided to 'upgrade' my account and now a whole bunch of stuff doesn't work!

They said they will get back to me on it... if they don't I will migrate to a new hosting company and probably a new domain name, too. If that happens, I will post the link here.

Over the Christmas holidays I hope to work on my site some more and put in some better instructions for the call number stuff as well as more little programs, a blog, and links to other useful resources.

Message edited by its author, Nov 7, 2009, 11:36am.

Okay, now it does Dewey.

Also, you don't have to switch views with either LC or Dewey. Just copy and paste a page of your catalog that includes the call number and the call number should get separated from the other text.

Let me know of any consistent errors and I will try to fix as best I can.

Message edited by its author, Jun 25, 2009, 8:37pm.

If you don't have very many books, you could use a label maker.