As one who was heavily involved in creating the current RBMS Security 
Guidelines and its marking recommendations, I would like to point out that 
the recommendations there are based on sound theory and practice and on some 
unfortunate experiences.

Also speaking as one who has been, to his dismay, involved over the past 
several years in efforts by various libraries to recover their stolen 
manuscripts, I can assure everyone that an institutional property stamp is 
the be-all and end-all of recovery efforts if your materials are stolen.  If 
the visible mark fails in its role as a deterrent and your manuscript is 
stolen anyway, that mark is going to be removed, even if the thief has to 
cut it out.  That is why the invisible mark is so important; with any luck 
the thief will not see it and it will remain on the document to provide 
proof.  Such things as cataloguing records, scans, microfilms, etc., are all 
dubious proofs subject to interpretation.  I know of cases wherein the 
stolen document and the image have been put side by side, and you'd be 
surprised how different they can appear.

Also, regrettably, such excuses as it is too much trouble to mark materials 
or that doing so is too daunting a task or that it hurts the material will 
also be turned against a library seeking to recover stolen materials, 
especially if any amount of time has passed between the theft and its 
recovery.  Such defenses as estoppal and laches will be raised to deny the 
library the recovery of its material, especially if the material is 
unmarked. Lack of marks will merely be interpreted to mean that the library 
did not take reasonable measures within its grasp to protect its property 
and will be advanced as yet another reason the aggrieved purchaser does not 
have to return the materials.

Mark your stuff!  Don't join the unhappy group of librarians and archivists 
who get to see a judge hand possession of their property to somebody else. 
Besides, SAA endorses those Guidelines as best professional practice.  No 
reason not to follow them.

Everett Wilkie
2006 Carey Road
Kinston, NC 28501
[log in to unmask]
252-522-0261
Cell:  717-419-9419
"Join us for our groundbraking"
--Sign

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