----------1
Subject: RE:      Smudging Ink on stamps/stampers
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 16:02:37 -0500
From: "Mays, Allison" <maysap@millsaps.edu>

We print out labels with call numbers for our serials, using standard dot
matrix-style address labels. They have enough room so we can stamp the label.  We
are also using a smaller stamp than before, so we can squeeze it beside the call
number.

Wars were fought over this issue in one of my previous places of employment. I have
also used a quick drying ink that I got at a local store; only problem is that it
dries so quickly, you have to reink the pad every day and we get so few serials in a
day that it wasn't worth it. But the stuff works great.  If you're processing a lot
of serials, you might try the fast-drying ink. Call a local stamp store, see what
they have. It wasn't expensive. Or consider getting cheap labels and stamping those.

Allison
**************
Allison P. Mays
Acquisitions Librarian
Millsaps College
1701 N. State Street
Jackson, MS 39210
601-974-1083
maysap@millsaps.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Skwor, Jeanette [mailto:skworj@UWGB.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, August 06, 2002 3:33 PM
To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
Subject: Smudging Ink on stamps/stampers

I've noticed a problem this summer that, upon investigation does date back
at least a few months, and that is, when issues are processed - stamped (we
stamp on the front cover unless it is too dark or shiny), the ink doesn't
dry, literally for hours.

It came to my attention when a new student began helping out in the
department; he was using our heavier, newspaper stamper for periodicals, and
as he stacked the issues to take them to temp shelving the ink smeared so
badly the date & text was unreadable.  First I thought it had to do with the
temperature/humidity down here, although we do have humidifiers running, but
the weather has long since gone through several changes.

I switched the student to an older stamper, not a self-inking one, that
seems to use less ink, but the problem persisted, and at about that time is
when I noticed some of the issues that had been received during the winter
were smeared in the same way.  So I changed from the Ideal ink we're
currently using to an older brand, Xstamper.

We are still needing to spread our newly-processed issues out on the table
and leave them there overnight before we can stack them for temp shelving.

Are others facing this problem, or better yet, have you solved it?  Do you
have a brand of ink that dries more quickly?  Do you blot your covers?  With
what?

TIA,

Jeanette L. Skwor
Serials Dept.
Cofrin Library
University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
Green Bay, WI 54311-7001
(920) 465-2670

----------2
Subject: RE:      Smudging Ink on stamps/stampers
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 16:04:21 -0500
From: "Heydari, Terre" <theydari@post.cis.smu.edu>

Jeanette,

We do not stamp directly on the issue.  We stamp white labels 3 1/2" x 1 7/16" and
place the label on the issue. This seems to eliminate the smudging and smearing.

Terre Heydari
Center for Information Processing
Central University Libraries
Southern Methodist University
Dallas, Texas 75275-0135
theydari@mail.smu.edu
214-768-3637

----------3
From: "Peter Picerno" <ppicerno@nova.edu>
Subject: RE: Smudging Ink on stamps/stampers
Date: Tue, 6 Aug 2002 17:10:48 -0400

Jeanette,

This was a problem which I noticed at my last job, and I believe that it has
to do with the gloss finish on the paper rather than the ink. The result,
however, is the same: i.e., the ink doesn't dry for a long time and it
smears even after it's 'dry' when it comes into contact with moisture such
as skin oils. I believe we ended up using white labels which we stamped and
attached to the journals since we couldn't find an ink which would dry
quickly and completely. Often the same paper finish is used throughout the
issue so it's not even a matter of stamping internally, and that's why we
adopted the solution we did.

If someone else has a better suggestion I think we'd all love to know what
it is!

P Picerno

----------4
Date: Tue, 06 Aug 2002 13:15:24 -0800
From: Alexis Tibor <alexis.tibor@uaa.alaska.edu>
Subject: Re: Smudging Ink on stamps/stampers

We had stickers made.  That solved our problem.  If you still need the date
though, you can purchase blank stickers and then stamp those.  Once we started
using an automated check in system we didnt need the date on the issue any more
since it was in the computer.  That was when we decided to have property
stickers made.
It seems to work well for us.

Alexis Tibor
University of Alaska Anchorage
Consortium Library