Labels on CDs and DVDs

On June 23, 2008 Sandra at Tracy Memorial Library sent this inquiry to the NHAIS list: "We have a patron who claims that our foil-back label, which we use to identify our A/V material as belonging to us, curled up while in her car's CD player, perhaps due to heat, and caused much damage. Has this happened to anyone else? These labels are supposed to adhere permanently and resist heat.We started using these foil labels because we thought permanent markers were not okay to use on CD/DVDs. But now I see that there are CD/DVD marker pens specifically for this purpose. What's the deal?"

Here is her summary of the responses:

I've received enough feedback to determine that CD & DVD labels are a bad idea, esp. with CDs and cars and heat. Please, if your library hasn't started using them, don't. So while we are going to discontinue, we aren't going to try to go back and remove all the labels already in place. This can damage the discs and take up infinite time. The safest marker to use is non-solvent based (i.e., water-based), permanent and felt-tipped; write in the clear inner hub of the unused side.
Very helpful is the Council on Library and Information Resources 'Care & Handling of CDs and DVDs: A Guide for Librarians and Archivists' , esp. sections 5.2.5 and 5.2.7. Thanks so much. Individual responses are below.
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This happens all the time. Use a permanant marker instead.
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Any marker works. Don't put it on the business side of the item being played, and you'll be all right.
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Oh yes, we had that happen to us. Same thing, a patron got a CD stuck in her player in her car and the dealership told her that the label was the culprit. Luckily, her car was still under warranty and they didn't charge her so she didn't have to charge us to get it out. We no longer use the labels. I just use an extra fine point sharpie and mark the CDs and DVDs with that. I have not had a problem using the markers. It's crazy. Those labels are fairly expensive.
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I have a great volunteer who used to work for the Dept. of Defense trouble-shooting missiles and rockets and such. His job was to look for things that would go wrong. He's wonderful here - does a ton of work for us - but he can drive me crazy with Things That Might Go Wrong.
When I started using the foil-backed labels he said, "Great, until they come off in someone's machine and they sue you." Oy vey. So I've lived in fear for four years. NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. Yet. (And, of course, I've just jinxed myself.)
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We had this happen (several times) once people had multiple disc players in their vehicles. At least two users had to send their players out to have them removed by professionals. We no longer use those labels except on DVDs. We write the name of our Library on each disc with a permanent marker.
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My cousin just bought a new Ford and the (6) cd player had a warning (exact words forgotten) about not playing cd's with stickers on them. Obviously many of our audio cd's get used in cars, and we have used stickers for audio books and music on cd. Trying markers now - but which marker and where to mark?
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Heat (or illegal copying) run afoul with any library label system It is ok to right with markers (on the unused side) of any DVD or CD.
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You can write on the tops as long as the DVD is not used on both sides. There are some DVD's that have Wide Screen on one side and Full screen on the other. You cannot write on those. I usually write around the center hole. And a Sharpie works fine.
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I know that sometimes labels cause a spin balance problem and make it impossible to read teh disc (the NHSL just had this trouble and asked me for replacements to a newspaper archive cd set I had provided)
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We have always used permanent markers with no problems so far.
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We use the markers because labels can be affected by heat and can cause an imbalance so they do not play correctly.
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Square foil backed labels on our CD's and DVD's have been a cause of problems for us. Twice a patron came to us saying she had to have her CD player serviced because of the labels. Once she had to have her player replaced and once she presented us with a copy of the bill which stated the label was the cause of the malfunction. She asked for some restitution. (She didn't get any.)
We took all the CD's off the shelves. It is taking a long time to remove these labels with Goo Gone and we write our library name with magic marker on the disc. I have tried to get volunteers to help and too much of the time the disc gets ruined or they use too much Goo Gone leaving a mess. The problem is that the square label makes the disc spin off center. Then the label catches on the player and gets stuck. We have had no problem with the round labels used on the center of the disc. These we only use when black magic marker will not show up on a dark colored disc.
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We use pre-printed labels from Gaylord and have not had any trouble. We've also used the paper labels and Dymo label maker, no problems there either. I wonder how long the CD sat in her hot car before she inserted it into the player?
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We have had this discussion here and I submit that there is no reason why one has to mark each disc and risk any issues. If a patron has checked out a CD book or DVD or bluray, then this should be enough for them to find the item(s). Of course, the package is clearly marked with all the library contact information both on the outside and inside. (we put a label on the back and inside the CD and DVD boxes. Even with "sharpie" pens you can damage a DVD ...less on an issue with CD's