Design Label Templates

Print Label templates are single-sided. They are different from library card templates because labels do not have a back side.

Starter Templates

Libcodesk includes protected starters:

• Barcode Label
• Spine Label
• Shelf Label
• Accession Label
• Barcode + Spine Label

Protected starters cannot be directly edited. Use Copy and Modify to create your own version.

Label Types

Label type	Best used for	Common fields
Barcode Label	Circulation desk scanning and item identification.	Barcode value, accession number, title.
Spine Label	Finding items on shelves by call number or shelf location.	Call number, shelf location, accession number.
Shelf Label	Marking shelf sections or locations.	Library name, shelf location, QR code.
Accession Label	Showing the accession number clearly on the item.	Accession number, library name.
Barcode + Spine Label	Combining scan value and shelf/call-number information on one label.	Call number, barcode, accession number.

Choose the label type that matches the physical label you plan to print. A narrow spine design should use a narrow spine label stock, while a wider barcode design should use a matching barcode sheet or roll.

Useful Fields

Common label fields include title, author, material type, accession number, barcode value, RFID UID as text, shelf location, call number, ISBN or ISSN, library name, copy status, and organization name.

Good Template Habits

• Keep barcodes large enough to scan.
• Keep a quiet space around the barcode.
• Use short spine labels with the call number and shelf location.
• Avoid placing important text outside the safe margin.
• Use a test print before printing hundreds of labels.

Designer Rules

Label templates use physical label size, usually in millimeters. The preview, PDF output, and Standalone app printing should use the same size values so a label does not look correct on screen but print at the wrong size.

The label designer is front-only. Printer calibration, page margins, sheet layout, roll-label offsets, and partially used sheet start positions belong to Page Layout or Printer Settings, not inside the label artwork itself.

Default label templates print without an outer label border or cut guides. Turn on Show label border or Show cut guides in the template settings only when you need them for testing, trimming, or special stock. Leave them off for normal barcode, spine, shelf, and accession labels so the printed label contains only the real label content.

If you copy a starter template, rename the copy before changing it. Keep one tested template as your default so staff do not need to choose a template every time.

Editing A Template

Use the label designer to change the label size, label type, fields, barcode or QR placement, text size, text alignment, font style, colors, borders, opacity, and layer order. Select an element on the canvas to edit its position, size, binding, style, or barcode area.

Use the designer aids while placing elements:

• Grid helps align text, barcodes, QR codes, and shapes.
• Rulers show the label size in millimeters.
• Safe area shows the margin that should stay clear of important content.
• Snap keeps dragged or typed positions aligned to a chosen millimeter step.

You can select an element from the layer list or directly from the canvas. Drag an element on the canvas for quick placement, then use the inspector values for precise positioning.

Use Duplicate Layer when a label needs a repeated text or shape style. Use To Front, Forward, Backward, and To Back to control which objects appear above others. Drag the resize handle on a selected canvas object when the barcode, QR code, text box, or shape needs to be larger or smaller.

Use Image when a label needs a fixed logo, symbol, or small picture. In Libcodesk WebApp, upload the image in the template designer assets panel, then add it to the label. In the Standalone app, choose a local PNG, JPG, JPEG, or WebP image when adding the image element. Keep image files small, clear, and high contrast so the label remains fast to preview and easy to print.

The preview and generated output use the template elements you save. If you move a barcode, change a text color, add a border, or reduce opacity, check the preview and create a test PDF before printing a large batch.

Use the zoom controls when working with small spine or accession labels. Small changes matter on physical labels, so preview and print one test label before using a template for a full batch.

The designer can also be used with a keyboard. After selecting an element, use arrow keys for small movement, Shift with arrow keys for larger movement, Delete or Backspace to remove the selected element, and the layer controls when changing object order.

Barcode and QR elements need enough width, height, and clear space around them. If a barcode is too small in the designer, make the element larger or use a larger label before printing.

QR elements are generated as real QR codes in the preview and output. Keep them square, high contrast, and large enough to scan. If a QR code appears crowded, increase the element size or reduce the amount of data stored in the code.

In the Standalone app, use Copy and Modify for protected starters, then save the copy before setting it as the default. You can duplicate an existing custom template when you need a second version for a different label stock, and archive custom templates that staff should no longer choose.

Active And Archived Templates

The Label Templates tab has separate Active and Archived views. Active templates are available when generating labels. Archived custom templates are kept for reference but are removed from the template choices used for new label output.

Protected starter templates cannot be archived. If you archive a custom template by mistake, open the Archived view and choose Restore. Restored templates return to the Active view and can be selected again for saved label lists.

Sharing Templates

Use Export Template when you want to keep a backup of a tested label design or move it to another Libcodesk setup. Libcodesk saves the template as a .liblabel file.

Use Import Template to bring a .liblabel file back into the Label Templates list. Imported templates are saved as a new editable copy, so protected starter templates and existing custom templates are not overwritten.

If a template includes images, the exported .liblabel file carries those images inside the package when they are small enough for template sharing. After importing an image-based template, open it once, check that every image appears, and generate a test PDF before using it for a full batch.

Only import label templates from a trusted source. After importing, open the template, check the size, fields, barcode placement, and safe margins, then print one test label before using it for a large batch.