QLabel is a system made up of a collection of scripts written in Python for generating and printing thermal labels.
It started at 2nd Life Inc. out of the need to label USB drives and bins in September 2025.
The initial system consisted of generating an image with the Python PIL library and then queueing a print with CUPS to be printed with a Brother QL-820NWB printer that was found during inspection work.
By December 2025, it has found extensive use within 2nd Life Inc. for labeling bins for organizing cables, memory module racks and video adpaters.
Later on in February 2026, the brother_ql Python library was used instead, offering a more direct method of sending image data to the printer, allowing for pixel-perfect labels and more reliable operation.