a print carriage configured to print indicia upon a paper artifact proximate to the print carriage;

a print track coupled to the print carriage, wherein the print carriage is configured to move along the print track;

a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) read head configured to read indicia printed upon the paper artifact with at least one of magnetic ink and magnetic toner;

a pressure pad configured to apply pressure to the paper artifact on an opposing side of the MICR read head during MICR scanning operations;

a slider having an engaged and a disengaged state, wherein when the slider is engaged the pressure pad applies pressure to the paper artifact so that the paper artifact is positioned near the MICR read head, and wherein when the slider is disengaged the pressure pad does not apply pressure to the paper artifact, said slider comprising two surfaces configured to selectively make contact with a surface of the print carriage as the print carriage moves along the print track, wherein contact with a right most slider surface as the print carriage moves in a rightward direction results in the slider moving in the rightward direction, wherein contact with the left most slider surface as the print carriage moves in a leftward direction results in the slider moving in the leftward direction, wherein the print carriage has an intermediate range of motion along the print track that does not result in contact between the print carriage and one of the slider surfaces and therefore does not result in the slider moving, wherein movement of the slider resulting from movement of the print carriage is configured to toggle the slider between the engaged and the disengaged state.