-------- 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