Virtual museum of cataloging and acquisitions artifacts
Wednesday, December 5, 2007 by level1librarian
Heidi Hoerman has put up a wonderful site of old library technology:
“Within these pages can be seen the transition and differences from one method or tool to the next. This virtual museum is for the new generation of librarians who may not be familiar with the tools and methods used before technology and the digitization of library catalogs stepped in.”
I can relate to the electric pens, for even if I’ve never seen them, I’ve seen call numbers made with them. Electric erasers, however, sound far out.
I checked out the “rubber stamps” category and was mildly disappointed to see that it included neither of my favorites: the date-stamp doohickey that you stick on the end of a ball-point pen (it sticks off at an angle, so you can easily switch between stamping dates and writing in library card numbers) and the date stamp with metal wheels and tiny rubber belts (with month, day, and year stamps on their faces) that allow you to change the date each day by turning the wheels.
I liked some of the older “museum” items, though, especially the stamp that would automatically progress digit by digit through a series of numbers. I could see that being very useful. And now that you mention it, I think I have seen many books in the U.Va. library system with the “electric pen” transfer printing on their spines. We also have many examples of call numbers printed on tiny rectangles of fabric (silk–it feels good to the touch!) and typewritten on tape.
How amusing to see the catalogue from Bowdoin!