Library card template for homeschool classrooms

Homeschool families can use Card Catalog Generator as a free catalog card template: enter a book's details, pick a size and font, and print a card for each curriculum book, read-aloud or library-day pick. Filing the cards by subject teaches kids how a real library catalog works. The generator has one catalog card layout rather than a set of themed templates, and you shape it with fonts, backgrounds and sizes.

Which settings work best for homeschool cards?

• Size: 5x3 in fits a standard recipe or index card box, which is the cheapest catalog drawer you can buy. 6x4 in gives young readers bigger text and more room.
• Font: Clean Sans is the easiest for early readers. Vintage Typewriter is fun for older kids who like the old-library look.
• Background: Clean White if you will print on colored cardstock, Aged Paper or Textured Aged Paper for a classic feel.
• Classification: Dewey Decimal matches what kids see at the public library. Custom / Your Own System lets you use subject names instead of numbers.

Color coding by subject comes from the paper rather than the generator. Print on blue cardstock for science, green for literature, and so on, and use the Clean White background so the color shows through.

How do I set up cards for curriculum books?

Make a card for every book in the year's plan, not only the novels. Put the subject and unit in Entry / Call Number (for example "SCI 2" for the second science unit) and use Synopsis / Notes for the week you plan to read it or a reading goal. Filed in order, the box becomes a simple visual plan for the term. Pull a card when the book is finished and move it behind a "Done" guide card at the back, so kids can see their stack grow.

A short lesson on how libraries organize books

1. Show a real catalog card, either the generator's sample (823.7 A93p for Pride and Prejudice) or one from a library book sale.
2. Point out each part: call number, author, title, publication details.
3. Have your child look up a favorite book with the Look up book details button and compare the suggested Dewey number with the spine label at the public library.
4. Let them print cards for five books and file them in order. Then hide one book and have them find it using only the cards.

Younger kids can do the filing step alone. Older students can add a one-sentence summary in the notes field, which doubles as a quick writing exercise.

FAQ

Is the template free to use for school?

Yes. The generator is free, runs in your browser and needs no account.

Can the cards track due dates or who borrowed a book?

There is no borrower or due date grid. Kids can write a return date in the notes field or on the back of the printed card.

Can I save my cards to edit later?

No. Nothing is saved between visits, so download each card as a PDF or PNG and keep the files in a folder for the school year.