-------- Original Message --------
Subject: RE: Property Stamps in Peace, War and Theft (UNCLASSIFIED)
Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 12:58:44 +0000
From: Hadden, Robert L AGC <[log in to unmask]>
To: Maps, Air Photo, GIS Forum - Map Librarianship <[log in to unmask]>
CC: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>


Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Kathleen:
        The use of invisible markers depends upon your view of map theft. If
you want to be able to reclaim a map that has been stolen, this falls in
with the other older practice of placing a library stamp on a library's
"secret page". A particular library, for example, might routinely stamp
the bottom of page 27 of each book that comes into the collection, or
page 52 or whatever. Then if the book is taken, the librarian can
triumphantly open it up to the secret page and go "Aha!" A similar
moment can occur when the librarian tells the policeman to shine an UV
light on the map. "Aha! Now I've caughtcha!"
        In fact, this is only game playing and fantasying. In the real world,
the library wants to prevent theft in the first place. By placing an
obvious property stamp on the map, you not only identify it as library
property but you also lower the commercial and re-sale value of the
item, both actions making the map less desirable to thieves or pranksters.
        While researchers complain that it may deface the map if it is to be
copied and published in a text, that is a small price to pay to keep the
item in the library in the first place. And BTW, if the item is
published, it is also a free marketing advertisement for the library.
Certainly property stamps can also be placed on the back of the map if
there is no margin or blank space available if you are also shy about
library branding.
        Also, it is a good practice when maps are exchanged or traded, to have
the library property stamps accumulate, much like visa stamps in a
passport. They show the movement of the map between libraries, and helps
establish the map's provenance.
        For a number of years I've worked with books and maps that were stolen
by the Germans from their occupied countries during World War II. One
example shows a page with the original property stamp of a public
library in Russia. Then there is the added Eagle and Swastika symbol of
the Wehrgeologenstellen, or German Military Geology Unit, which had
raided the public library collection and captured the book. The Germans
transliterated the Russian Author/Title into German, and pasted in an
extra note for the German researchers on the title page. Then there is
the US Army property stamp that was placed on it when the book was
captured from the Germans at the end of the war. Then finally, the
property stamp of the US Geological Survey was placed on it when the
item was added to their collection as a captured document, donated to
them by the Corps of Engineers. See page 258 of:
http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a496551.pdf for the color photo
of this "stamp collection" page.
        In addition to all the property stamps, there is still the original
call number from the Russian Library, the call number from the German
Geology library, an odd numbering system used by the Corps of Engineers,
and the current call number and accession number of the USGS library.
Quite something to see.

Lee Hadden

R. Lee Hadden
US Army Corps of Engineers
Army Geospatial Center
ATTN: CEAGC-WSG-HADDEN
7701 Telegraph Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22315
TEL: (703) 428-9206
[log in to unmask]

-----Original Message-----
Date:    Wed, 4 Sep 2013 07:09:44 -0500
From:    "Angie Cope, American Geographical Society Library, UW Milwaukee"
          <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Invisible property stamps?

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Invisible property stamps?
Date: Wed, 4 Sep 2013 00:46:14 +0000
From: Weessies, Kathleen <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>

Lately I've been reading about map library practices for marking maps,
particularly rare and valuable maps.  Once in a while in the literature
there is a mention of invisible property stamps that only show up in
certain lighting.

I haven't met anyone who uses this kind of stamp (or maybe I did and it
is a closely guarded secret!).

Anybody have any comments on this practice?

Kathleen Weessies
Geosciences Librarian
Head, Map Library
Michigan State University
517-884-0849


Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE