We mark selected manuscript items with Newberry Library ownership stamps, using Library of Congress ink. We can't stamp everything, either, but we don't want a famous person's autograph or other valuable documents getting away. The solution of having a surrogate to use as proof of ownership suggests that one has time to make photocopies or digital copies of everything in the collection, which is more time-consuming, shelf-consuming, and server-consuming than marking the originals.

To avoid thieves trimming the stamp out of the document, we stamp in a prominent place, e.g., on the verso of a letter behind the signature.

Since the Smiley incident, we've stepped up our marking, and now even every page in every valuable atlas has the Newberry's mark on it.  We've learned it's hard to prove ownership otherwise. Personally, I still feel a little guilty about defacing these items, but we're expecting to keep them forever, and even with security guards checking every bag and briefcase at the exit, it's still too easy for some items to walk away.

-Alison

************************************************
Alison Hinderliter -	[log in to unmask]
Manuscripts and Archives Librarian
The Newberry Library
60 W. Walton St.
Chicago, IL  60610-7324
(312) 255-3694


-----Original message-----
From: Dean DeBolt [log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2006 15:41:46 -0500
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: marking manuscripts

> If an institution has rare and unique manuscripts, I would think a
> photocopy and digital
> 
> image might serve the purpose of "proof" of ownership instead of marking
> the item.  I
> 
> have concerns over the ink, type of mark, not to mention how you decide
> what to mark.
> 
> And with 700,000+ materials, you then have the question of WHAT to
> stamp.    Years ago,
> 
> many institutions marked manuscripts on the margin or at a point that
> did not affect the
> 
> manuscript writing, image, etc. - and what did thiefs do, they trimmed
> those edges!
> 
>  
> 
> I've wondered many times the scenario of trying to prove something was
> yours and was
> 
> stolen.   It seems to me that good cataloging data, accession data,
> photocopies or digitial
> 
> images would serve the same purpose.   
> 
>  
> 
> But clearly I don't have the staff to stamp every manuscript or archive
> item that we have.
> 
> 
>  
> 
> Dean
> 
>  
> 
> Dean DeBolt
> 
> University Librarian, Special Collections
> 
> John C. Pace Library, University of West Florida
> 
> 11000 University Parkway
> 
> Pensacola, FL  32514-5750
> 
> 850-474-2213
> 
> [log in to unmask]
> 
>  
> 
> 
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> 

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List sponsored by the Society of American Archivists, www.archivists.org.
For the terms of participation, please refer to http://www.archivists.org/listservs/arch_listserv_terms.asp.

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      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
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Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <[log in to unmask]>