A label is a piece of paper, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is printed a name, address, identification number, price, or other information. A label may also be printed on a wrapper or cover. Labels have many uses, including providing information about a product, indicating warnings or instructions, or promoting a brand.
In the book industry, a label is often affixed to the spine of a book and includes the name of the publisher, the author, the title, and often a logo. A label may also be printed on the front or back cover, or on the dust jacket. A separate label, called a price label, is usually affixed to the inside front cover and includes the price of the book.
In the publishing industry, a label is a brand or imprint of a publisher. A publisher may have multiple labels, each with a different focus or target audience. For example, a publisher of academic books may have a label for trade books, another for textbooks, and another for children’s books. A label may also be used to denote a line of books within a publisher, such as a line of mystery novels or a series of books on a particular subject.
In short, labels are important because they help identify a book’s genre and potential audience, which in turn helps publishers market and sell the book. But labels can also be limiting, both for authors who may feel pigeon-holed by them and for readers who may be turned off by a book that has been labeled as something they don’t like. In the end, it’s up to each individual reader to decide whether or not to give a book a chance, regardless of its label. Overall, labels can be a helpful tool for both publishers and readers.