The number is permanently assigned when the shop is organized. A regional list of union shops, indexed by shop name and number, is available from the local Printing Trades Council. It should be noted that the union bug is a copyrighted symbol, and is occasionally accompanied by a symbol. This adds a legal dimension to archival material duplication, because any reproduction of the document, commercial or otherwise, cannot bear the bug unless it is reproduced by union labor. The bug is protected by state laws and printing trade customs, with penalties for misuse including fines and imprisonment.
Some catalogers recognize the importance of the union bug in describing materials.
Full cataloging of bug-bearing documents either omits mention of them at all or indicates only that which is recognizable. Because it provides excellent images of the artifacts, it is easy to identify items that have bugs and then view the documentation. The Allied bug is clearly evident in the image. It is a text element that could only be identified by three question marks in brackets. If the name of the publisher is unknown and the place and name of the manufacturer are found in the item, give the place and name of the manufacturer 2.4G1 Place of Printing, name of printer, date of printing If the name of the publisher is unknown and the place and name of the printer are found in the item, give that place and name as instructed in 1.4G 2.