Mary Lynn Ritzenthaler has some information on marking materials in her
book, Preserving Archives and Manuscripts (SAA, 1993).  See p. 115.  In
particular, she notes that a non-destructive method should be used, and
notes that "The Library of Congress has made available a permanent,
non-acidic ink specifically for the purpose of marking manuscripts."
She advises repositories to contact the National Preservation Program
Office, and ask for the ink (which as of 1993 was being provided free of
charge) and a copy of a leaflet, "Marking Paper Manuscripts"
(Preservation Leaflet No. 4.  Under revision at the time, so a new
version may be out....)

 

Amy Cooper Cary

 

*********************************************************

Amy Cooper Cary

Archival Studies Program Coordinator

School of Information Studies

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

5th Floor, Bolton Hall, Room 556

PO Box 413

Milwaukee, WI  53201

Phone:    414-229-6929

E-Mail:    [log in to unmask] 

________________________________

From: Archives & Archivists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Barbara Austen
Sent: Friday, July 14, 2006 9:49 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: marking manuscripts

 

Dear Colleagues:

 

At a staff meeting today our library director distributed the recently
published "Guidelines for the security of rare books, manuscripts and
other special collections" issued by ACRL's RBMS.  Appendix one provides
guidelines for marking manuscripts and rare books, while Section VII
categorically states that materials themselves should be identified by a
unique mark.  We are discussing using a stamp with our OCLC symbol and
permanent ink to discreetly mark our manuscripts.  I don't know how I
feel about this.  The library director's explanation was that since
these manuscripts are going to be permanently retained by the
institution, reducing the market value by stamping an item should not be
of any concern. 

 

Are other institutions marking manuscripts with a permanent stamp?  What
were the pros and cons of doing so? 

 

What a great question for a Friday!

 

 ============================================================

Barbara Austen

Manuscript Archivist / Cataloger

The Connecticut Historical Society Museum

One Elizabeth Street

Hartford, CT  06105

(860) 236-5621, ext. 251

Fax: (860) 236-2664

www.chs.org <http://www.chs.org/> 

 <http://www.chs.org/>   

 

 

 

 

 

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