“To study in detail is to understand the whole.” - Japanese proverb

When first joining the American Philatelic Research Library as a volunteer and then later as staff, I was amazed at the level of specialization in the hobby, particularly among researchers. As I walked then and still today through the journal collection on the library’s second floor I am astonished and impressed by the scope of philatelic research that has been conducted from the very first days of the hobby. From aerograms to zeppelins, it seemed that no new research avenue was possible.

From its beginnings in 2008, followed by the formation of The Institute for Analytical Philately (IAP) in 2010, analytical philately has become the latest approach to the hobby for both the collector and the researcher. By going beyond the what, why and how we collect to delving into the details of how scientific methodologies can help us better understand what we collect – its composition and creation –  this burgeoning discipline has opened a new opportunity for philatelic research and thereby philatelic publications. 

Here in the library we are just beginning to see some of the publications and research that contribute to this new aspect of the hobby. Currently we have in the APRL’s holdings the proceedings for each of the first four IAP symposia as well as the IAP journal, The Analyst. We look forward to adding more publications as they arise. As we grow the scope of the library collection, we welcome these new publications and look forward to the future of analytical philatelic research.    

Meeting members

One of the truly rewarding experiences that come our way as staff is the opportunity to travel to World Series of Philately shows across the country on behalf of the society. Most recently back in April, I had the opportunity to attend the WESTPEX show in California. The show was well attended and the APS booth was busy throughout. 

When I attend shows on behalf of the APS I use the opportunity to talk to our members and encourage their feedback about the library and its services. Feedback from those who use the library regularly and those who may not use our services provides us with a better understanding of how we are meeting the needs of our library patrons. Better yet, we learn what we can do to improve or provide for those currently not using our services. 

The library, with its resources and services, is an important and unique benefit of membership, and we, as the library staff, take seriously the responsibility of providing the best possible library experience for our members. If you have any comments, concerns or questions about any aspect of the library please feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Digitization update

The Phase I Digitization Project, which began on March 1, has been going better than expected. In this first phase we are working through the backlog of journals for which we have publication permission in order to upload them into the Robert A. Mason Digital Library (RMDL). At this point we are uploading those journals issues that are in digital form already. Journal issues that need to be scanned from originals will be completed at a later date.

Figure 1. Recently journals digitized at the APRL include issues of Penny Post, Menelik’s Journal, Tell, The Lion and Philateli-Graphics.

After some training sessions, digital assistants Betsy Gamble and Geoff Hobart have uploaded 517 complete journal issues as of mid-May (Figure 1). Specifically, the following journals have been uploaded and added to the database: 90 issues of Penny Post (journal of the Carriers and Locals Society); 128 issues of Menelik’s Journal (journal of the Ethiopian Philatelic Society); 230 issues of Tell (journal of the American Helvetia Philatelic Society); four issues of The Lion (journal of the Ethiopian Collectors Club of Great Britain) and 44 issues of Philateli-Graphics (journal of the Graphics Philately Association). Also uploaded are 21 issues of the Philatelic Literature Review, specifically from the First Series and early Second Series.

The goal at this initial stage of the project was to process and upload 25 complete journal issues per week. Currently we are processing and uploading journals issues at a rate of 57 per week. This accelerated rate is due in part to working with digital files only (i.e. no scanning) and also to the dedicated efforts of Betsy and Geoff.

Follow updates regarding the Phase I Digitization Project on the APS website, stamps.org/news.

Library volunteering

We are very fortunate here to have a dedicated group of volunteers who live locally and provide many hours of assistance each week. Our volunteers help us inventory our archives, sort and organize our auction catalog collection, mend damaged materials and repurpose our inventory of surplus literature. On occasion, we also welcome assistance from local groups and organizations. 

Back in March, the Circle K International student group of Penn State University volunteered in the library. Circle K International is a collegiate service organization with a worldwide membership that promotes fellowship, leadership and service. 

Figure 2. Members of Penn State’s Circle K International student group sort materials during a volunteer visit at the APRL.

In all, 14 students spent the day here conducting a variety of tasks (Figure 2), including sorting through several pallets of donations, weeding our journal collection for extra copies and shelving newly received and published journal issues.

The library always has tasks for which we would welcome volunteers, so if you happen to live close by or are planning a visit to the APS and would like to volunteer with us, feel free to contact the library at [email protected].