Author Topic: D&D Collection & Labels  (Read 2467 times)

Offline Necrosnoop110

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D&D Collection & Labels
« on: March 27, 2016, 08:34:51 PM »
I have a growing D&D collection that I've been procuring since I've been a wee lad. The rulebooks have grown in number, especially with 3E. My house is gaming central and my books are frequently used and loaned out. I am a librarian by trade. I am tempted to label my books with a cataloging scheme of my own design with spine labels for ease of use and ordering on my bookshelves.

I am wondering what your guys thoughts are about this? None of my books are in new or fine condition, most items are between fair and good condition. Is there any "collectors" reason I should refrain from labeling my books? Some sort of "preservation" reason? Something I'm not thinking of? I really do want to do this but am open to alternative ideas and suggestions.

Thanks,
Necro
« Last Edit: March 27, 2016, 08:36:24 PM by Necrosnoop110 »

Offline Solo

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #1 on: March 27, 2016, 09:15:20 PM »
Label away. In my experience, they come off easily with a bit of mineral oil or isopropyl alcohol. Alternatively, you can use labels with an adhesive just a little stronger than post-it note adhesive.
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Offline Maelphaxerazz

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2016, 03:05:25 PM »
A good way to do labels is to print them on ordinary paper, then tape them on with clear tape. That way only a small amount of "sticky surface" is actually adhering to the book: the little bit of tape around the edges of the label. This is easy to remove and clean if you later want to sell the books or change your labels.

Offline Solo

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2016, 03:41:30 PM »
What about book covers? Maybe even clear ones?
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Offline Necrosnoop110

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2016, 11:56:41 AM »
I have professional grade labeling gear (librarian by profession) so labeling is no problem.

Clear book covers ... hmmm ... never considered that option. Will investigate.

Excellent ideas guys, thanks.

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #5 on: March 29, 2016, 04:33:23 PM »
My local public library, has a 1e PHB in the games section, say like (idk) 860.xx something.

I think it's easier to use the Fiction book style.
You know who the publisher is, possibly the authors
but the well known nomenclature could do the job.

3e PHB
3.5e MM1
2e POS&M (players option: spells and magic)
1e Un Ar (unearthed arcana)
etc
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Offline Maelphaxerazz

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2016, 06:35:50 PM »
ADMG's suggestion is sound, but I'd recommend a slight variation: instead of labelling the books with their acronym, label them with a broader category. For example, the Monster Manual already has "Monster Manual" on its spine so there isn't any need to put MM on it, though it would be good to place it with other monster books (like Fiend Folio).

The way to sort them depends on how you use them. How open are you to using 3rd party material? If you are very open to it, then it is better to place them with their nearest 1st party equivalent,  while if you are less open to it then the books should be sorted by publisher.  Likewise, how often do you port Pathfinder material into 3.5 and vice-versa, and how often you use setting material outside of its setting. If your goal is more to serve your borrowers, then instead substitute their preferences for your own: for example, if you use a variety of 3rd party material but your borrowers almost always stick to 1st party or a narrow group of publishers, then it is best to divide it by publisher, or if you use Eberron material only in Eberron but your borrowers all use homebrewed settings it would make more sense to place Races of Eberron beside the other Races books rather than beside the other Eberron books.

Offline Necrosnoop110

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Re: D&D Collection & Labels
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2016, 11:38:54 PM »
I have a large print collection of books already arranged and labeled by Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). I've considered cataloging my RPG collection by DDC but there is no need for it and I plan to keep it simple with a system of my own design. DDC would tend to place D&D rule books in the 793's by the way.

I want to keep my collection organized by edition first and foremost. Plus as mentioned above there is a lot of content already on the spines and covers. The labeling is for ease of use and organizing on the bookshelf not so much for informational needs. I'm planning on using a X1.X2.X3 format. Where the X1 is the edition, X2 is the sub edition, and X3 is the volume ordered by publication date. For example here is the labeling scheme for AD&D 1st edition:

Title / Pub Date / Label
Monster Manual / 1977 / 1.0.1
Player's Handbook / 1978 / 1.0.2
Dungeon Master's Guide / 1979 / 1.0.3
Deities & Demigods / 1980 / 1.0.4
etc.

On the book label itself I would just be labeling it with the 1.0.1 scheme, the title and pub was just to make this clearer for explanation. I've considered sorting them by function as well as edition (e.g. placing all the monsters manuals together) but decided against it, I'm fine with having them ordered first by edition then by pub date.     

So,
AD&D 2E would be 2.0.X
D&D 3E would be 3.0.X
D&D 3.5E would be 3.5.X
D&D 4E would be 4.0.X
D&D 5E would be 5.0.X

« Last Edit: March 30, 2016, 03:19:43 PM by Necrosnoop110 »