At a seminar sponsored by the American First Day Cover Society at Great American Stamp Show 2023 in Cleveland, officials of U.S. Postal Service’s Stamp Services department revealed they have embarked on an effort to familiarize postal workers with the stamps it issues. “The USPS wants to increase awareness” about new stamps, acting manager Lisa Bobb-Semple (left) said. That includes direct-mail to some employees describing and depicting the new issues.

Too often, postal clerks say they had not heard about an issue that has been released, or expressed amazement at the new designs. A few even have refused to honor new issues they don’t recognize.

Many, if not all, post offices do receive posters and counter-mats showing new issues. The new issues are also shown and described, in detail, in the biweekly Postal Bulletin, which all supervisory personnel are supposed to read.

Unfortunately for Stamp Services, the actual retail operations of the USPS fall under another department.