Music Library Staff Guide: Labeling Media Items

• When labeling media items, labels should be placed on item inserts, rather than upon cases whenever possible.
• Labels that are left exposed on the surface of items should be protected by label protectors.
• Magnetic strips, referred to as Tattle-Tape, should be hidden whenever possible.

It’s helpful to cut media labels to size prior to labeling. Media labels should be trimmed to about an eighth of an inch between the edge of the label and the text. 

CDs are labeled at the top left corner on the front, and, always relevant to how the item will be shelved, at the top left corner of the back. 

In two of the examples above, some of the packaging text has been obscured by labels. For the sake of uniformity/ease of shelving and shelf-reading, this is correct. Always place labels at the top left corner on the cover of CDs. 

Most CD cases will display the cover/first-page of the attached commentary through the front of the disk case. If the cover of the attached commentary shows through the case, place the label directly on the booklet. 

When the label must go directly on the surface of an item, as is the case with the second example above, a label protector must be used. Using the thickest/least pliable label protectors, cut a piece to size (slightly larger than the label) and cover the label. 

To label the back insert of a CD and to place tattle-tape on the item, the CD disc tray must be removed.  To remove the disc tray, curl you fingers until the tips of your fingers are beneath your knuckles, and then place the tips of fingers underneath the lip of disc tray.  The lip will hang slightly over the “spine” (where the case connects) of the case.  Slowly lift up, gently bending the disc tray to remove it from the case.

Once the insert has been removed, place a second label on the cardboard back insert.  When the back insert is placed in the case, the label should display in a uniform manner at the top left corner.  The top of the insert will be the side of the insert closest to the “spine” of the case. 

Two types of tattle-tape are used for CDs.  The tattle-tape wrapped in green cellophane (designated B2 tattle-tape by the manufacturer), with adhesive on both sides, is used for CDs with non-see through disc trays.   The tattle-tape with adhesive on one side (designated B1 tattle-tape by the manufacturer) is used on discs with transparent disc trays. 

To use two-sided tattle-tape (B2) on CDs with non-see through disc trays, remove the green cellophane and affix the tattle-tape diagonally to the inside of the back insert. 

After the insert is labeled and the tattle-tape is affixed to the insert, the disc tray can be reinserted. 

When using ones-side tattle-tape (B1) on CDs with transparent disc trays, tattle-tape is affixed to the inside-“spine” of the insert so that any artwork printed on the insert is still visible.  The tattle tape must be cut into two pieces to fit.  Always use the entirety of one strip, placing both strips side-by-side.

After the insert is labeled and the tattle-tape is affixed to the insert, the disc tray can be reinserted. 

Media disc labels are created using specialty labels and a stamp created for that purpose. Rather than creating these labels as needed, it’s best to stamp an entire sheet of labels whenever you run out. For best results when using that stamp, take care that the square shape of the stamp drops downward directly above the circular labels. 

After a sheet of labels has been stamped, write the call number (omitting MUS-) on the disc label. For multi-disc sets, make a label for every disc, and label them disc 1, disc 2, etc. In cases where alternate naming techniques are suggested by the item itself (disc A, disc 1A, South Africa disc 5, etc.), use whatever would be most clear to you if the disc was found outside of its case within the library.  Carefully affix the label directly to the disc(s). In the picture below, CD 14965 CD2, rather than CD 14965 disc 2, could have also been written on the label. 

• Labels for loose commentaries should always include “Comm.” on the item label. 
• Larger, or oversized, booklets should be treated as books (see below), with the exception of where the label is placed.  Oversized booklets should be tattle-taped.
• Labels should be placed on the top left corner of the loose commentary cover and LP style sleeves. 
• Labels on loose commentaries will be on the surface of the item, and label protectors should be used. 
• It is not necessary to use label protectors on LP-style sleeves housed within a larger container, but label protectors should be used on any LP-style sleeves housed as individual units. 

Boxes are frequently used to house discs with accompanying loose commentary. Since container boxes can be separated from both the disc case and the commentary, they should also be labeled. 

Treat the front of the box as the front of a disc case and place the label in the top left corner. Use label protectors for exposed labels.

To label the back of the box, visualize the complete set being shelved in the media cabinet. When choosing the top side of the item, remember that the open face of the box should be facing up, so that the contents of the box will not fall out. The side of the box closest to the open face will be the top side. Label in the top left corner and use a label protector for exposed labels.

Most standard DVD cases have a “spine” wide enough for a label. Standard DVD cases also come with a protective layer of clear film used to protect the cardboard inserts inside.  

For standard DVD cases, simply remove the insert, place a label at the top of the “spine” on the front side of the insert, and then place one-side tattle-tape along the “spine” on the back of the insert. Because options are limited on where tattle-tape can be hidden, treat transparent cases and non-transparent cases in the same fashion. Because the cardboard insert is protected by a layer of clear film, there is no reason to use label protectors.

As with CDs, labels will sometimes obscure packaging information. For the sake of uniformity/ease-of-shelving always place the disc at the top of the “spine”, even if it covers up artwork or item information.

Cardboard cases are treated in a similar manner to standard DVD cases with some exceptions. Since labels are necessarily placed on the surface of the item, label protectors must be cut to size and used. Tattle-tape should be placed along the inside “spine” of the item.

The “spine” of some DVDs may be too slim to label. Treat these DVD as you would CDs, with a label on the top left corner of the cover, and top left corner (the top being the side nearest to the “spine”) of the back. 

Commentaries housed within DVD containers should be labeled as commentaries. Labels should be placed in the top, left corner on the cover/first page of the commentary. The thickest label protectors should be cut to size and placed over the label. Commentaries without barcodes (and thus without ownership information), should be stamped with a Vanderbilt Music Library stamp, unobtrusively on the cover or within the commentary. 

Label visual media discs as discussed in the section on Labeling Media Discs within this guide.