PrintFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts: Liz Carter 202-268-5188
Gary Ferrari 212-330-2430
February 25, 2004
USPS Web Site: www.usps.com
Stamp News Release Number: 04-011
NEW POSTAL CARD TO CELEBRATE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S 250TH ANNIVERSARY
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Postal Service today announced that a new stamped postal card celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of Columbia University will be issued March 25 in New York City.The first day of issue ceremony for the Columbia University stamped card will take place at 3 p.m. in the Low Memorial Library, 535 West 116th Street on the Morningside Heights campus. The ceremony is free and open to the public.
The Columbia University stamped card will be available on March 25 at the ceremony and at New York City Post Offices. It will be available starting March 26 at all New York Post Offices and Philatelic Centers nationwide, by toll-free telephone order at 1 800 STAMP-24 and online at www.usps.com/shop.
"Columbia University's celebrated history of educational excellence is perhaps best symbolized by Low Memorial Library, the landmark building depicted on the stamped card," said Donna M. Peak, vice president of Finance and Controller for the U.S. Postal Service, and an alumna of the university's Senior Executive Program, who will dedicate the stamped card. "The Postal Service is proud to participate in the 250th anniversary of this fine institution of higher learning."
Scheduled to join Peak at the first day ceremony are Lee C. Bollinger, president of Columbia University, and David Dinkins, former mayor of New York City.
"We are honored that the United States Postal Service is including Columbia University's Low Memorial Library to the Historic Preservation Series," said Columbia University President Lee C. Bollinger. "This postal card commemorates the designation of Low in 1967 as an historic landmark by the City of New York. Throughout this yearlong celebration of Columbia's 250th anniversary we continue to honor our past and the numerous and remarkable achievements of Columbia faculty and alumni that have helped to shape the world."
The Columbia University stamped card is the 56th in the long-running Historic Preservation series, which began in 1977 with the issuance of the 9-cent Federal Court House (Galveston, Texas) stamped card.
First established as King's College by King George II of England in 1754, Columbia University's name was changed to Columbia College after the Revolutionary War, and is officially known today as Columbia University in the City of New York.
Columbia University has a distinguished tradition of instruction and research, and its alumni and faculty have included scientific pioneers, Nobel laureates, political leaders and writers. Currently, more than 20,000 students are enrolled at the university, where they are engaged in some of the nation's leading scientific and technological research.
Low Memorial Library is the centerpiece of Columbia's Morningside Heights campus in New York City. Completed in 1897, this classically designed building served as the university's main library until 1934. Today it houses the Columbiana Collection-which includes archives and memorabilia of the history of the university - and is home to the university's administration. The rotunda, once the library's main reading room, is now used for major events, including the annual Pulitzer Prize award ceremony.
The stamp art - a computer-generated design created by Tom Engeman of Brunswick, Md. - features the southern façade of Low Memorial Library. The words "250th Anniversary" appear in the top left corner of the stamp, and type across the bottom reads, "Columbia University Low Memorial Library."
To see the Columbia University postal card and other images from the 2004 Commemorative Stamp Program, visit the Postal Service Web site and open this press release at www.usps.com/shop. Click on "Release Schedule" in the Collector's Corner.
Current U.S. stamps and stationery, as well as a free comprehensive catalog, are available by toll-free telephone order at 1 800 STAMP-24. A wide selection of stamps and other philatelic items are also available at the Postal Store (www.usps.com/shop), and www.postalartgallery.com offers beautifully framed prints of original stamp art for delivery straight to the home or office.
Since 1775, the U.S. Postal Service has connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. An independent federal agency, the Postal Service makes deliveries to about 141 million addresses every day and is the only service provider to deliver to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of more than $68 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mail and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. Moreover, today's postage rates will remain stable until at least 2006. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 43 percent of the world's mail volume - some 202 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year - and serves seven million customers each day at its 38,000 retail locations nationwide.
# # #
TECHNICAL DETAILSIssue: Columbia University
Item Number: 221500
Denomination & Type of Issue: 23-cent Stamped Card
Format: Stamped Card
Series: Historic Preservation
Issue Date & City: March 25, 2004, New York, NY 10199
Artist: Tom Engeman, Brunswick, MD
Designer: Tom Engeman, Brunswick, MD
Engraver: N/A
Art Director: Derry Noyes, Washington, DC
Typographer: Tom Engeman, Brunswick, MD
Modeler: N/A
Manufacturing Process: Offset
Printer: Government Printing Office (GPO)
Printed at: GPO, Washington, DC
Press Type: Offset
Print Quantity: 6 million stamped cards
Paper Type: 22-lb. bright white
Adhesive Type: N/A
Processed at: GPO, Washington, DC
Colors: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black
Card Orientation: Horizontal
Image Area (w x h): 2.10 x 1.25 in./53.30 x 31.73 mm
Overall Size (w x h): 5.50 x 3.50 in./139.59 x 88.83 mm
Full Pane Size (w x h): N/A
Plate Size: N/A
Plate Numbers: N/A
Marginal Markings: © 2003 USPS [Recycled logo] recycled
Catalog Item Number(s): 221540 Columbia University Stamped Card - $0.25
221561 Canceled Columbia University Stamped Card - 0.35
HOW TO ORDER THE FIRST DAY POSTMARK
Customers have 90 days to obtain the first day of issue postmark by mail. They may purchase the new stamped card at their local New York Post Office, at philatelic centers nationwide, by telephone at 1 800 STAMP-24, and at the Postal Store Web site at www.usps.com/shop. They should address the cards (to themselves or others) and place them in an envelope addressed to:
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY STAMPED CARD
POSTMASTER
421 EIGHTH AVE RM 2029B
NEW YORK NY 10199-9991
After applying the first day of issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the stamped cards through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by June 25, 2004.