Stamps as an information source, in Turkey

While doing some online search this article crossed my way and shall be kept here for the record: Stamps as an information source in the National Library of Turkey by Hakan Anameriç. (published in: Library Collections, Acquisitions, and Technical Services Volume 30, Issues 1-2, March-June 2006, Pages 117-127)

Abstract:

Stamps, like any other non-book material such as banknotes, coins, posters, and maps, serve as recording media and source for information that illustrates the social, commercial, political, cultural, historical, and artistic aspects of a society in their own unique style. Using short and abstract text, color graphics and symbols on a limited surface area to communicate its contents is the key attribute that differentiates stamp from other non-book material. For this unique attribute, the stamp can be deemed both as a communication tool and a work of art. Conversely, stamp and other philatelic material in Turkey are largely regarded as collection materials rather than being a source for information. This study aims at performing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the stamp collection at the National Library of Turkey as well as providing information on cataloging and maintaining of stamps and offering them to the attention of the public to stress the importance of stamps as a source for
information rather than just a collection material.

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The humanistic library of Sélestat, on stamp

I haven’t been posting here for quite a while for several reasons but at least for today I’m really delighted to add some update. This features a rather new stamp issued this years february 12th by the french La Poste. It is a somehow “classical” bibliophiatelic piece devoted to the Bibliothèque humaniste de Sélestat, which is a nice personal coincidence because it was in Sélestat where I bought my first french stamps at a local post office right after visiting the Bibliothèque during an Alsac-Library study trip some of years go. (I just googled it up: It was October 10th 2003…) This year the impressive library which resides since 1889 in some building at the corner Rue de Sel and Rue de la Bibliothèque (while the post office can be found three minutes away in the Rue de la Poste..) celebrates its 555 anniversary and despite I’m not sure whether there is some relation to the topical’s issue, I just go ahead and suppose there is one. One nice trivia is the inscription of the storefront’s mosaic mounted in 1907 saying “Stadtbibliothek – Museum” in german as Sélestat belonged between 1871 and 1918 to Germany as a garrison town.

The stamp features an illuminated initial of the Livre des Miracles de Sainte-Foy written by Bernard episcopal schoolmaster of Angers. The nominal value is 60 cents. The engraving is done by Jacky Larrivière.

Many thanks to Larry T. Nix who sent me this beautiful postage stamp – among others which I hopefully will have time to comment here soon.