Large print

The rules on this page have been approved in concept by the SCRAP committee, but the exact wording is still being adjusted. Please use these rules. Please send any feedback to SCRAP.

Large print books are defined by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress and OCLC Bibliographic Standards and Formats.

Consider a resource to be large print if both of these conditions are met:

• The item is printed in characters in a 14 point or larger font
• The item is labeled "large print" or "larger print"

HarperLuxe and Harlequin are publishers of popular "larger type" books. (HarperLuxe's "larger print" books typically use 14-point type, and thus should be treated as large type. Harlequin's "larger print" books typically use 11- or 12-point type, which is basically the same as any normal hardcover or trade paperback book, and thus should not be considered to be intended for use by people with visual impairments.)

Fixed field

Form: d

Variable fields

Edition (250)

Use a formal edition statement that appears on the item, if there is one. If there is no formal edition statement, but "Larger print" appears on the item, use that as an edition statement. If there is no edition statement, nor the words "Larger print", add a bracketed edition statement of [Large print ed.]

250 1st Thorndike large print ed.

250 [Large print ed.]

250 Larger print.

If there is a formal edition statement that does not include the term "large print" or "larger print" and that term does appear on the item, use the formal edition statement as the edition and include the term "large print" or "larger print" in a quoted note along with the source.

250    2nd ed.
500    "Larger print"--Cover.

Extent of item (300 ‡a)

Qualify the pagination with (large print)

300    243 p. (large print) ;‡c25 cm.

Genre (655)

Always use the genre heading Large type books.

655  0 Large type books.

Classification considerations

Particularly for larger print material, each library may decide for itself whether the print size of a given book is big enough to warrant shelving it with their other large print books or with their other regular print books.