Thermal-Transfer Printing: A Better Way to Print Library Labels

Thermal-transfer printing, a technology borrowed from the manufacturing sector, offers libraries a flexible method for printing durable, accurate, legible, and attractive labels that reliably adhere to most book surfaces. When guided by an electronic program customized to meet a library's particular needs, a thermal-transfer printing system offers virtually limitless variations in font, format, and functionality. It can print labels directly from the online catalog, thereby guaranteeing that call numbers on labels match what patrons see in the catalog. This article explains thermal-transfer printing and how it compares with other printing technologies, briefly explores applications in both the manufacturing and library environments, and describes in detail how Utah State University Libraries and a few other libraries use it to improve the accuracy, appearance, and durability of their spine labels. ********** It is no secret that libraries often make use of technology first developed and tested in the business and manufacturing sectors. A well-known example of this borrowing is bar-coding technology; a more recent but lesser-known example is the automated storage and retrieval system (robotic retrieval of densely stored materials) being incorporated in some of the newest library buildings. Now libraries have another opportunity to capitalize on a technology developed and tested by companies and businesses--thermal-transfer printing. As described in this article, Utah State University Libraries (USUL) uses thermal-transfer printing to print better labels via a system combining thermal-transfer printing technology with an electronic program that formats and prints data directly from the library online catalog. Because a program instructs the printer how to print the label, the possibilities for variations in font, format, and functionality are virtually limitless. The program automatically sets font type and size according to data length, moves data around on the label, translates codes into text, prints batches of a single label with or without incrementing enumeration, and prints label sets, among other things. USU's printing system was created in 2000-2001 in collaboration between USUL and a label vendor, Computype. Shortly afterward, the label vendor worked with the online catalog producer Dynix to make this printing technology available to other libraries. Several other libraries' printing systems also are briefly described in the following paragraphs. Because of the flexibility of these thermal-transfer printing systems, each library's setup and experience is different. Background Like many libraries, USUL has searched a long time for a way to efficiently print attractive, legible labels that endure rather than fade, smear, or simply fall off the book throughout its years of use. Providing such labels seems simple, and yet all of the different ways of creating library labels that were tried in the past proved unsatisfactory in one way or another. In the early part of the twentieth century, USUL, like many others, manually wrote call numbers and other vital elements on book spines using a stylus pen and library hand, a standardized form of handwriting taught to aspiring librarians in library courses. While this method created durable text on the spine, its legibility depended on the vagaries of handwriting skills while its accuracy depended on the diligence of the writer. Superceding the stylus, typewritten labels improved legibility by adding the consistency of a typewritten font, but unfortunately suffered the same potential for errors as their predecessor along with introducing new flaws: a tendency for the text to fade and the label to peel over time. Another promising method yielded a very durable label. The Selin label used heat to cook the label onto the book but proved inconvenient, expensive, labor-intensive, and not very attractive or flexible. …