Working in the Information Resources department, I spend a lot of time processing books which are purchased or have come into the library via legal deposit or donations. Processing might be seen as a rather simple job but I think it is worthy of a blog post because it is an art in itself, particularly labelling, hence The Art Of Labelling.
Labelling can actually be quite difficult, especially relabeling books, because not only do you have to stick the new labels on, but remove the old labels first. Seeing my struggle in removing yellow, crumbling labels from extremely old books, my colleague told me about how they used to use soldering irons to ensure the labels were well and truly stuck. This had a rather negative effect on my nails as I attempted to pick them off so I developed a technique, in which I use the tattle tape ‘wand’ (which you use to insert tattle tape to the inner spine of hardbacks) to chisel away the labels.
The Law Library has recently reclassified the majority of its UK section using the MOYS system (http://lawbod.wordpress.com/2009/08/25/a-sea-of-books-moys-reclassification-underway/), which means I have to use a specific computer programme designed for MOYS labelling. So, rather than use the old fashioned label making machines, we now use the PC and print the labels off. This is excellent for editing anything you’ve done wrong (which happens rather more frequently than I would like). This computer programme nicely centralises the shelf mark that you type. The MOYS shelf mark is quite short, for example:
KN
100
BLA
so looks wonderful once it has been printed off. We are also using this programme for shelf marks that aren’t MOYS, however, so when it comes to shelf marks that are perhaps ten characters long, the labels look slightly different. So, in conclusion, there’s more to labeling than you think. And without a good labeller, shelf marks would be so much harder to read.
The tattle tape ‘wand’ is indeed a useful tool for label removal, though care should be taken as injury is rather easy as I full well know. Its easy to chisel your own hand instead of a label if not careful! A good old everyday butter knife from a kitchen (in my case the staffroom cutlery draw) also makes for an excellent label removal device.
On a more serious note, I very much agree with your point about the importance of a good label. I see so many old and therefore near impossible to read labels on books around the library. An clear and easy to read label makes the library a better place for both the library staff and the reader.