Used by 700,000+ people
Free LTO labels for Ultrium tape cartridges.
Pick your label sheet and start number; each copy prints the next volume serial in Code 39.
How to print LTO tape labels
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01
Choose the template for your sheet
Avery 6571, NetC and WorldLabel templates print on Letter, Herma and Avery Zweckform templates on A4.
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02
Enter prefix, start number and media type
Prefix and number share six characters: LT with 1000 gives LT1000. Then add the cartridge code, such as L9.
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03
Count up with Copies
Each copy takes the next number: 32 copies fill the Avery 6571 page up to LT1031. Print the PDF unscaled.
What is an LTO barcode label?
An LTO barcode label tells a tape library which cartridge it holds. IBM's specification sets eight Code 39 characters: a six-character volume serial of capitals and digits, then a media identifier such as L9 for Generation 9.
Volume serial, media ID and bars
Markers 1 to 3 show the prefix LT, the running number 1000 and the media identifier L3. Bars and boxes both carry LT1000L3.
IBM leaves colours and layout of the readable characters to you, provided they show the encoded data. Colorize Digits gives each digit a box colour: red for 0, yellow for 1.
What libraries and IBM expect
Oracle's StorageTek SL3000 guide requires a proper barcode label on every cartridge and warns that wrongly labelled ones may cause equipment damage.
IBM requires a matte or non-reflective label face and at least grade C print quality under ISO/IEC 15415 and 15416.
From one sheet to a tape pool
After a free sign-in, a data sheet holds one row per batch. In one export the count runs on from row to row, ignoring later start values.
TFORMer Designer adapts these layouts to other sheets; TFORMer Workstation prints series from CSV files, TFORMer Server from ERP data.
LTO labels at a glance
- Specification
- IBM 19P0034, EC N99211B (September 2025)
- Barcode
- Code 39, no check character
- Narrow bar
- 0.432 mm (+0.03/−0.076 mm), ratio 2.75
- Bar height
- At least 11.1 mm
- Quiet zones
- At least 4.32 mm
Check before a full run
- Bar height. The 11.0 mm bars of the Avery 6571, WorldLabel, L4775 and L7162 templates stay 0.1 mm under IBM's 11.1 mm minimum. Test-read a few in your library first.
The fields of the Avery 6571 LTO label
The Avery 6571 layout prints no field numbers, so markers 1 to 3 in the picture follow this table. Each caption is the input name the label generator shows; rows marked — are print options.
| No. | Field | Caption on the label | Content | Barcode | Max. length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Barcode alignment | Barcode Alignment (TOP, BOTTOM) | TOP prints the bars above the character boxes, BOTTOM below them. | — | TOP or BOTTOM |
| — | Text direction | Text Direction (HORIZONTAL, VERTICAL) | VERTICAL turns each character in its box by 90°. | — | HORIZONTAL or VERTICAL |
| 1 | Volume serial prefix | Prefix | Fixed start of the volume serial, such as LT. Capitals and digits only: a lower-case letter prints an error text instead of bars. | Code 39 | 6 with the number |
| 2 | Running number | Serial Number Start Value | First number, padded with zeros to the remaining places; each copy adds 1. After all nines it starts again at zero without a warning. | Code 39 | 6 with the prefix |
| 3 | Media identifier | Media Identifier | Cartridge type, such as L9, LA or LZ, in its own box at the end. The template checks the length only. | Code 39 | 2 |
| — | Check character | Add Checksum (1=yes / 0=no) | 1 appends a Modulo 43 character, a ninth character that IBM's format does not have. Leave it at 0. | Code 39 | 0 or 1 |
| — | Digit colours | Colorize Digits (1=yes / 0=no) | 1 fills each digit's box with a fixed colour per digit; letters stay white. | — | 0 or 1 |
| — | Label outline | Print Border (1=yes / 0=no) | 1 draws the label outline with rounded corners, useful for a test print on plain paper. | — | 0 or 1 |
All LTO label templates
Seven templates for Letter and A4 sheets. All share the same inputs and the same numbered Code 39 layout; they differ in label grid and bar size.
| Template | Size | Use | Open in the generator |
|---|---|---|---|
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (Avery #6571 or #6577) | Letter, portrait | Avery 6571 or 6577, Letter: 32 labels of 76.2 × 15.87 mm, bars 65 × 11 mm. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (NetC LLC #749303-12301) | Letter, portrait | NetC 749303-12301, Letter: 20 labels of 79 × 17 mm, IBM's recess size, with 11.5 mm bars. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (WorldLabel WL-173) | Letter, portrait | WorldLabel WL-173, Letter: the 32-label Avery grid with offsets shifted by hundredths of a millimetre; 11 mm bars. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (Avery #3420) | A4, portrait | Avery Zweckform 3420, A4: shares the Herma layout of 51 labels, 70 × 16.9 mm. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (Herma 4459 or 4611) | A4, portrait | Herma 4459 or 4611, A4: 51 labels of 70 × 16.9 mm with 0.38 mm narrow bars, 11.7 mm high. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (Avery #L4775) | A4, portrait | Avery Zweckform L4775, A4: 32 labels of 76.2 × 15.87 mm in two columns, 11 mm bars. | Open in the generator › |
| LTO Ultrium Cartridge Label (Avery #L7162) | A4, portrait | Avery Zweckform L7162, A4: 32 labels of 76.2 mm on a 16.95 mm row pitch, 11 mm bars. | Open in the generator › |
Frequently asked questions
Learn more about LTO Labels.
What do the last two characters on an LTO label mean?
How do I label an LTO cleaning cartridge?
Which way round does the label go?
Do these labels contain an RFID tag?
More resources
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