Under https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/documents/3714650 (similarly at https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/de/document/82504553), a Guide to the Files is given, including information on the letters of the index numbers on the CLI Cards, in short:
Letters indicating Institutions in the USA, Canada and South America:
- A: The American Christian Committee for Refugees, Inc.
- B: American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
- C: National Council of Jewish Women, Inc.
- CLS: Canada Inquiries
- D: Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)
- E: International Migration Service
- F: National Refugee Service Inc.
- G: Unitarian Service Committee (USC)
- H: International Rescue and Relief Committee (IRRC)
- J: Canadian Location Service (CLS)
- JDC: (American) Joint Distribution Committee
- JIAS: Canada Inquiries (Jewish Immigrant Aid Service (Who We Are – JIAS – Jewish Immigrant Aid Services) ?)
- K: American Federation of International Institutes (AFII)
- Y: Registrations filed by persons in South America
„O“ stands for Overseas and contains cards from all over the world
„L“ stands for Lists and are cards created from lists of known survivors, like DPs.
Cz, AM, UKSB and T come from UNRRA reports and related records.
There is a special type of card:
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Hi, is it possible to link the YV guide concerning the (CLI) index letters more precisely?
Or, if that’s impossible, perhaps post a graphic address?
To me the many YV lists that appear via the first link in your comment are a bit confusing. Sometimes the site also reports an „error“…
(But maybe I just don’t get the hang of it ?? )
Maybe of interest? An abbreviation „jias“ is mentionend by @moewenzahn here
Regards!
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Thanks for your note, YadVashem seems to have issues linking collections (I have updated the link above to the „correct“ one, but it is still not working…).
The collection I’m refering to is M.18.2 „Documentation including regulations and rules pertaining to the names index and the lists of the Central Location Index in New York, 1944-1949“ (Item ID 3714650)
You can use https://documents.yadvashem.org/remote/namesfs.yadvashem.org/documentation4/1/full_pdf_srika/3714650_03257834/0001/00043.jpg?width=1400 as a link to the first page, and increment the 0043 for the following pages.
Thanks for the link for JIAS, yeah, that seems likely, I’ve added it to the above list.
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I’ve done some more investigation into the M.18.2 Collection and found the following related documents:
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As for the CLI letter list:
The „broken“ link (above) worked for me once, but stopped working when I tested it again. (Yes, YV gets stuck every now and then, maybe tomorrow it will be okay again…)
I choose the safe way via the YV search function, enter 3714650 (= ID) and click on the search result. The original documents will open on the right (3 pages). Page 2 gives the information you have mentioned, the list with the index letters is in scan no. 13 (see jpg)
These documents seem really interesting and worth reading in more detail. (just not now: too late!)
Thank you for pointing them out!
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Thank you so much for sharing your research results! We are compiling all the contextual information and using it for further cataloguing. You are a great help!
Franziska
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Thank you ever so much Baulukas! You found the key to those mysterious letters before the CLI indexnumbers. Chapeau!!
The whole booklet can be downloaded here:
https://collections.yadvashem.org/en/documents/9610646 (I hope it works)
It explains the making of the CLI-cards in all its details.
Have a nice day!
C.
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Thanks to you as well @carola.b
My first click on your link resulted in:
But: another click there on „refresh“, wait a while… et viola, it’s there! Give the documents a bit more time to completely appear. 
(maybe it’s just a bit slow because of my provincial (snail) internet?)
Have a good day everybody!
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Hello. Link opened in South-Eastern Finland perfectly. Thank you.
Liebe alle,
gute Neuigkeiten! Unsere Kollegen aus der Erschließung haben unseren E-Guide um einen Eintrag zu den CLI Karten ergänzt! Central Location Index Karte - e-Guide Arolsen Archives
Der Beitrag wurde zunächst auf deutsch eingestellt, die englische Übersetzung folgt aber zeitnah.
Ein riesiges Dankeschön an euch für eure Recherchen und das Zusammentragen der Ergebnisse! Neben den Quellen in unserem Archiv haben wir die Dokumente aus Yad Vashem genutzt, auf die ihr uns aufmerksam gemacht habt (danke @baulukas) und haben die Forumsbeiträge berücksichtigt. Ihr seid uns eine große Hilfe und wir freuen uns sehr über eure Unterstützung!
Franziska
Dear all,
good news! Our colleagues from the cataloging department have added an entry on the CLI cards to our e-guide! Central Location Index Karte - e-Guide Arolsen Archives
It was initially published in German, but the English translation will follow soon.
A huge thank you to all of you for your research and compiling the results! In addition to the sources in our archive, we have used the documents from Yad Vashem that you have brought to our attention (thanks @baulukas) and have taken the forum contributions into account. You are a great help to us and we highly appreciate your support!
Franziska
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Small update: I think I found the meaning for K-F, see https://documents.yadvashem.org/remote/namesfs.yadvashem.org/documentation4/1/full_pdf_srika/3714720_03258423/0001/00005.jpg?width=1400 (part of Yad Vashem Documents Archive)
K-F seems to be also from the AFII (the American Federation of International Institutes).
Maybe all the K-… are from the AFII and are sub-groups of the already mentioned K group.
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Thank you! I’ll pass it on!
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I’ve updated above list again (and fixed the collection link, yad vashem link seems to be working correctly now).
„Y“ and „CLS“ (as well as „JIAS“) are mentioned here: https://collections.arolsen-archives.org/de/document/82504553
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