The database is organized alphabetically using the conventions established by Barbara Edmonson in HSG and OASG.  Not only is this presentation logical, it's also one that most collectors are already quite familiar with.   Her conventions are reproduced below.

CONVENTIONS:

Entries are arranged in order of the initial letter of the word that is printed on the glass: e.g.,

Absolutely pure rye...

Compliments of...

1849 (Eighteen forty nine)...

Estab. 1874...

Hand made....

Jack Tar...

The Old Maid Whiskey...

Trade Mark....

except for proper names, when entries are listed in order of the first letter of the family name, e.g.,

Lord Baltimore

Leo Bloom & Co.

Dr. C. Bouvier

I. W. Harper

Dan Patch 

If the glass only contains a picture and no words, it will be listed under 

"Picture of..."

When there is any doubt about how to index a glass, it will be listed twice with alternate titles that describe the label in varying ways.  The listings will have the same unique shot glass ID# identifier but with the suffix "a" for the alternate; the alternate listings will increase the chance of a glass being found, even if it's out of the ordinary.  

A good example of a glass that we're all familiar with and could be listed twice is one of the Detricks.   On some glasses, the word "The" is spelled out in tiny transparent letters within the monogram at the upper left of the glass and this becomes the first word.  However, since it's easy to miss, such glasses need to be indexed under both "D" and "The". 

 

Another good example is any glass that has labels on both front and back.  Since it's not always clear which is the front or back in such cases, these glasses will get listed twice with alternate first words. (examples include the G.A.R. glass that begins "Compliments of...."  on one side and "Grand Army..." on the other, and the Davis and Drake glass that had "Every Time..."  on the front and "Drink Maryland...." on the back.)