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

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