If you enjoy finding history in unexpected places as much as I do, then you’ll love this collection of old stamps from the Music, Reference Services, and Customer Services departments. Some of them are still in use, while others are from departments that don’t even exist anymore!
One of my very favorites is on the bottom of the page – it’s the stamp that warns of the fine increase that took place the year I was born. Frequent library users will probably recognize that stamp, and many of the others. I remember seeing quite a few of these in the books that I checked out from my bookmobile stop long ago.
A favorite pastime among library staffers (or at least the ones that I hang out with) is marking coworkers with the “WITHDRAWN FROM COLLECTION” stamps. This happens most often on Friday afternoons or whenever we run out of shelf space. Librarians aren’t always serious, you know.
– Amy
Click on the image to see a larger version with notes.
Eleventh Stack 
This is awesome! It’s nice to see that other libraries do this too. (We have a “confidential” stamp that we have been known to get a little footloose with… *wink*).
during the last great stamp purge i rescued a set of “approved” and “denied” stamps, and i’ve heard rumors of a stamp that just says “no.” still on the lookout for that one.
but yeah, stamps are super fun!
– another librarian amy
Ah, gee, Amy. I thought you were talking about POSTAGE stamps and I was hoping I could donate my collection to you…
nice try!
(here are some resources for postage stamp collectors.)
– amy
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