Northcote Library – Rubber Stamps & Some Stickers
(More Northcote Library Info to follow ...)
Before the current sophisticated security of library books, hand written accession details, rubber stamp impressions, and date due slips were only way of identifying a library service. Borrowers were often a member of more than one municipal library service. This page highlights a selection of these.
See Date Due Slips page (forthcoming) for an expanded discussion of titles.
This page presents a sampling of some of the stamps. Including three very early examples of Northcote Library stamps.
Hover / click mouse for ID numbers and enlarged image.
Generally single use of identity stamp on the title page until early 1980s.
There is one sighted example of multi stamping in a book - #347. This seems to be rather unusual.
From the earliest examples seems that that accession details were marked both on title page and rear page. Possibly from the 1950s the change was made to back of title page.
From the 1980s stickers were frequently used not only as library identification but in processing as well – branch identification and signalling maintenance with ‘Repair of Return’. From computerisation the barcode was initially at the front of the boom but with increased borrowers, borrowing numbers the location was switched to front cover. Part of this logic was of course self service of items and reduction of damage through opening and closing books just for issuing.
When books are disposed of barcodes have been struck through.
Featured image:
Library stamps pre and post Carnegie Library (1911).
“Town of Northcote – Public Library”
(Pre 1911 Carnegie Library)
With Maltese on outer ring
#354, #357
“Northcote Free Library” - two types:
(Post Carnegie Library)
Dash between Northcote & Library on outer ring
Identified on books mid 1950s - #307, #347
4 dots between Northcote & Library on outer ring
Identified on books mid 1960s -#305, #329
“Northcote City Library”
Unknown dates – in use by 1983
Two types
Short – two lines - #312
Long one line - #336,
“Northcote City Libraries”
Early Accession Stamp
(Post 1962 with inc of Fairfield?)
Small rectangular
#312 (includes identity stamp)
Accession – narrow
(Used during computerisation from 1985.)
Comes in long - #299 and med/short - #342
“Not For Loan”
Unknown date not in use by 1983 - #391
Unknown date – in use by 1983 - #331
“Cancelled”
Unknwon dates in use by 1983.
Thick - #307,
Med - #319
Long - #320
Stickers
Prior to spine labels info was applied by hand. Group pic #388.
Northcote Main Branch - High then Separation St - 01 – Blue dot - #331
Thornbury Branch – St Georges Rd – 02 – Yellow dot
Thornbury Branch – Clyde St - 03 – Green dot - #320
Fairfield Branch – 04 – Red dot - #312
“Peace at the Library” (1986) A special donation given to the library with request of a unique bookplate.
#343
“Repair on Return”
Mid 1980s.
Large blue stickers with white text
#348
“Not for Loan”
Generally means reference books.
Post 1982? Initially on spine, later on front cover - #385, #386
“Darebin Libraries”
Post 1994 the library service has undergone a number of changes reflected in small identification stickers:
First being “Darebin Libraries” - #385
Then “Darebin Libraries: Knowledge / Inspiration / Adventure” - #386
page created 28 Apr 2018
(More Northcote Library Info to follow ...)
Before the current sophisticated security of library books, hand written accession details, rubber stamp impressions, and date due slips were only way of identifying a library service. Borrowers were often a member of more than one municipal library service. This page highlights a selection of these.
See Date Due Slips page (forthcoming) for an expanded discussion of titles.
This page presents a sampling of some of the stamps. Including three very early examples of Northcote Library stamps.
Hover / click mouse for ID numbers and enlarged image.
Generally single use of identity stamp on the title page until early 1980s.
There is one sighted example of multi stamping in a book - #347. This seems to be rather unusual.
From the earliest examples seems that that accession details were marked both on title page and rear page. Possibly from the 1950s the change was made to back of title page.
From the 1980s stickers were frequently used not only as library identification but in processing as well – branch identification and signalling maintenance with ‘Repair of Return’. From computerisation the barcode was initially at the front of the boom but with increased borrowers, borrowing numbers the location was switched to front cover. Part of this logic was of course self service of items and reduction of damage through opening and closing books just for issuing.
When books are disposed of barcodes have been struck through.
Featured image:
Library stamps pre and post Carnegie Library (1911).
“Town of Northcote – Public Library”
(Pre 1911 Carnegie Library)
With Maltese on outer ring
#354, #357
“Northcote Free Library” - two types:
(Post Carnegie Library)
Dash between Northcote & Library on outer ring
Identified on books mid 1950s - #307, #347
4 dots between Northcote & Library on outer ring
Identified on books mid 1960s -#305, #329
“Northcote City Library”
Unknown dates – in use by 1983
Two types
Short – two lines - #312
Long one line - #336,
“Northcote City Libraries”
Early Accession Stamp
(Post 1962 with inc of Fairfield?)
Small rectangular
#312 (includes identity stamp)
Accession – narrow
(Used during computerisation from 1985.)
Comes in long - #299 and med/short - #342
“Not For Loan”
Unknown date not in use by 1983 - #391
Unknown date – in use by 1983 - #331
“Cancelled”
Unknwon dates in use by 1983.
Thick - #307,
Med - #319
Long - #320
Stickers
Prior to spine labels info was applied by hand. Group pic #388.
Northcote Main Branch - High then Separation St - 01 – Blue dot - #331
Thornbury Branch – St Georges Rd – 02 – Yellow dot
Thornbury Branch – Clyde St - 03 – Green dot - #320
Fairfield Branch – 04 – Red dot - #312
“Peace at the Library” (1986) A special donation given to the library with request of a unique bookplate.
#343
“Repair on Return”
Mid 1980s.
Large blue stickers with white text
#348
“Not for Loan”
Generally means reference books.
Post 1982? Initially on spine, later on front cover - #385, #386
“Darebin Libraries”
Post 1994 the library service has undergone a number of changes reflected in small identification stickers:
First being “Darebin Libraries” - #385
Then “Darebin Libraries: Knowledge / Inspiration / Adventure” - #386
page created 28 Apr 2018