How do I make a printable library catalog card

To make a printable library catalog card, open the Card Catalog Generator website, enter the call number, author, title, publication city and year, and any notes, choose a font, background, and card size, then check the live preview. Once you're happy with the design, download the card as a PNG or PDF and print it on card stock.

Step-by-step guide

1. Go to the Card Catalog Generator.
2. Fill out the form with the call number, author (Last, First), title, publication city and year, and page count, or use "Look up book details" to fill it from a title or ISBN.
3. Choose a font, a background, and a size (5x3 in, 6x4 in, 8x5 in, or A7).
4. Check the preview, shorten any title or notes that end in "...", and add the hole punch if your cards go on a rod.
5. Click the download button to save your card as a PNG or PDF.
6. Print the file on heavy paper or card stock.

How do you print and cut a catalog card at the right size?

Download the PDF, print it at 100% or "Actual size" on cardstock, and trim along the card's edges. The PDF page is the exact size of the card, so the only thing that can go wrong is the printer scaling it. Here is how that plays out for each size the generator offers.

• 5x3 in: the classic catalog card, and the one to pick if your cards go in a standard index box or a library drawer. Most home printers will place a small card page in a corner or the center of a letter sheet. Some can feed 3x5 index cards directly; try it on plain index cards first, because card-size pages are where printers most often misfeed.
• 6x4 in: more room for a synopsis, and it fits 4x6 photo paper settings, which many printers handle well. Pick this when notes matter more than tradition.
• 8x5 in: large and easy to read, good for display or classroom walls. It still fits on a letter sheet with a little to trim on two sides.
• A7 (4.13x2.91 in): the ISO size, closest to 5x3 for anyone printing on A4 paper.

Before you print, open the print dialog and look for the scaling setting. "Fit to page" or "Shrink to fit" will enlarge or shrink the card, which changes the size and can blur the text. Choose 100%, "Actual size", or "None". Print one copy on plain paper and hold it against a ruler. If it measures true, switch to cardstock.

Use PNG instead when you want to place the card into another document, a scrapbook layout, or a print shop order. The PNG keeps the card's true dimensions too, but some photo viewers print it to fill the page, so check the size the same way.

For cardstock, 65 to 110 lb cover stock feels right and feeds through most home printers; set the printer's paper type to cardstock or heavy paper so the ink dries properly. Trim with a paper trimmer, lining up the blade with the card's printed edge. If you chose the Clean White background, the edge can be hard to see on white stock, so mark the corners lightly in pencil first. With Aged Paper, the card's tone shows you exactly where to cut.