RESOUR> Theft of the Raw Materials of Research
- From: Gleason Sackmann <gleason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: NetHappenings <nethappenings@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2003 08:29:01 -0600
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Net Happenings - From Educational CyberPlayGround
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From: "David P. Dillard" <jwne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, 30 Mar 2003 10:17:59 -0500 (EST)
There is concern and attention to the issue of theft of archival materials
such as early books and maps in the form of a website about this problem
in no less a place than the History section of the Virtual Library pages.
Libraries with historic documents and publications, archives and museums
are of importance to a wide range of people and purposes. They are part
of the tourist attractions of a community and they are the life blood of
anthropological, historical, humanities and social science research.
The main web page may be found at this URL:
Thefts of early maps and books
<http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/maps/thefts.html>
and the contents of this page include these hyperlinks to additional content:
How should we respond to early map thefts?
Links relating to the theft of early books and maps
Report of the 'Responding to Theft' seminar (National Library of Wales, 25
April 2002)
European map thefts (2001)
I would like to draw your attention especially to:
Links relating to the theft of early books and maps
<http://ihr.sas.ac.uk/maps/theftlinks.html>
That the links provided are extensive is made evident by the list of the
topical categories under which substantial groups of links are subject
divided.
Libraries and Archives
Networks
Codes of Conduct
Deaccessioning
Discussion Lists
Legal Matters
Library Stamps (etc)
Security Guidelines
Book and Map Dealers
Networks
Codes of Practice
Discussion Lists
Spreading the News
Procedures for Reporting Theft
Theft Reports
Lists of Links
Literature
------------------------------
Lest one should think that the only recourse for the losers of rare books
and resources is to grab a tissue and dab away tears, have a look at these
articles and sources:
Four years' jail for theft of rare books
John Ezard
Friday May 3, 2002
The Guardian
<http://books.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4406296,00.html>
A devious chartered accountant, nicknamed the Tome Raider for his
systematic cunning in plundering 412 extremely rare books from antiquarian
libraries, was jailed for four years yesterday.
------------------
Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP)
About CILIP Rare Books Group
<http://www.cilip.org.uk/groups/rbg/>
Unites librarians responsible for collections of rare books, manuscripts
and special materials, with other interested individuals. RBG promotes the
study and exploitation of rare books, fosters awareness of preservation
and conservation issues and is involved in the maintenance and display of
collections.
-------------------
Subject: THEFT of RARE BOOKS
From: "Stephen J. Zietz" <sjz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 30 Apr 1992 11:41:57 EDT
Message-ID: <"gXI9N.0.xA7.aNBCn"@sul2>
Sender: Rare Books and Special Collections Forum <EXLIBRIS@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
<http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/
exlibris/1992/04/msg00213.html>
Charles Lynn Glaser has pled guilty to theft of materials from the
Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia, and has
received a sentence of three years' probation plus restitution to the
Free Library for damages.
He removed the double-leaf map of the Americas from Sebastian
Muenster's Cosmographia (Basel, 1628) on February 18, 1992. A local
gallery telephoned the next day (in response to a call alerting them
to the theft); Mr. Glaser had placed the map with them for
examination and possible purchase.
[opps, thats my home town]
-------------------
Safeguarding Rare Books in Libraries
To: Multiple recipients of list <exlibris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Safeguarding Rare Books in Libraries
From: Leigh Montgomery <montgomeryl@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 1997 08:28:01 -0800
Message-Id: <971217112237.2470@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sender: exlibris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Christian Science Monitor
Friday December 5, 1997 Edition
<http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/byform/mailing-lists/
exlibris/1997/12/msg00154.html>
<http://csmweb2.emcweb.com/durable/1997/12/05/us/us.6.html>
Safeguarding Library Treasures From Theft
Skip Thurman, Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
WASHINGTON -- Among rare-book collectors, James Gilreath's
scheduled arraignment today in a federal courtroom on 22 counts of theft
of government property is a sad epilogue to an otherwise respected career
as a Library of Congress historian.
But to security experts, this modern-day version of the purloined
letter is a sign of how tough their job has become. The kinds of
irreplaceable books that Mr. Gilreath is accused of taking feed an
expanding market created by dishonest collectors. Theft is draining
libraries across the country of rare books, manuscripts, and maps.
-------------------
Association of College and Research Libraries
Guidelines for the Security of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Other Special
Collections
Prepared by the ACRL Rare Books & Manuscripts Section's Security
Committee. Final version approved July, 1999.
Originally published in C&RLNews October, 1999
<http://www.ala.org/acrl/guides/raresecu.html>
-------------------
Sunday, 8 October, 2000, 13:16 GMT 14:16 UK
Rare Chinese books theft from Harvard
<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/962287.stm>
The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that it is trying to
recover dozens of ancient Chinese books and scrolls which were stolen
earlier this year from Harvard University.
Historians say that the 43 missing works, which span more than a thousand
years, are priceless.
Nancy Cline, head librarian of Harvard College, said: "It's a significant
loss for researchers around the world."
-------------------
Theft Of Books And Manuscripts From Libraries:
An Advisory Code of Conduct for Booksellers and Librarians
<http://www.la-hq.org.uk/directory/prof_issues/tobam.html>
-------------------
Museum Security Network
Guidelines for the Security of Rare Book, Manuscript, and Other Special
Collections
<http://www.museum-security.org/guidelines.html>
This page includes a section with website hyperlinks for Addresses for
reporting theft.
-------------------
[PDF] Care And Security Of Rare Books
http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/19-02.pdf
-------------------
LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, September 27, 1999
<http://www.lapdonline.org/releases/1999/99_09/fcd2.htm>
On Friday, September 24, 1999, Deputy District Attorney Ann Huntsman filed
(7) counts of burglary and (9) counts of receiving stolen property on
Ezekiel Maxwell Steiner, 24, who was arrested for a series of thefts of
rare books from bookstores throughout L.A. and Orange counties. Detectives
from LAPDs Art Theft Detail seized over 600 books from his residence
during a search warrant in Hollywood on September 3, 1999. Steiner
appeared to have a passion for books and surrounded himself with classics
and great literature. He targeted rare first edition books, some valued at
over $1,700 apiece.
He sold most of the books to stores specializing in rare books. Other
books he kept for his own pleasure. Steiner usually posed as a customer
and returned to some bookstores as many as 6 or 7 times to conduct
additional thefts, usually hiding the books in his clothing. He also
managed to gain access to locked display cases. His quiet, studious
demeanor did not arouse suspicion from store owners. Steiners victims
include bookstores in Hollywood, Wilshire, Venice, Long Beach, and
Anaheim. However, he travels frequently and has recently been to
bookstores in San Diego, Santa Cruz and San Francisco. He has also visited
other bookstores across the U.S., including ones in New York, Arizona,
Illinois and Massachusetts.
-------------------
The ABAA Code of Ethics
<http://www.prbm.com/ethics.htm>
-------------------
Ku reviews security plans
following theft of letters
ASSOCIATED PRESS
<http://www.kstatecollegian.com/issues/v100/sp/n109/
ap-KU-letters-theft-16.1.html>
LAWRENCE (AP) -- University of Kansas library officials are reviewing
security procedures following the theft of historical documents valued at
more than $10,000.
"We are reviewing all our security and registration procedures," Alexandra
Mason, librarian at KU's Kenneth Spencer Research Library, said Wednesday.
"We are really looking hard at everything."
On Tuesday, former Arkansas lawyer Robert H. Smith was charged with one
count of felony theft in the disappearance of three letters signed by
Civil War-era guerrilla leader William Quantrill. A preliminary hearing
has been set for March 18.
Also missing from the library are letters signed by Presidents Ulysses S.
Grant and Grover Cleveland, by a 19th-century Kansas governor and by
outlaw Emmett Dalton. None of the letters have been recovered.
-------------------
Rare books stolen from Polish library
Thirteen books found at auction house but many more are missing
By Neal Ascherson
London Observer Service
<http://community.bouldernews.com/news/worldnation/12abook.html>
LONDON Some of the world's rarest and most precious books have been
stolen in what could prove to be Europe's most catastrophic literary theft
since World War II.
A court at Konigstein, Germany, has ordered the confiscation of 13 rare
books from a local auction house after a tip to police. The books almost
certainly come from the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow, Poland. But they
add up to only a fraction of what appears to be missing from the ancient
books and manuscripts of the country's most famous library, founded in
1364 to serve the city's university.
The seized books were found on the premises of a respected firm of antique
dealers and booksellers. They included a copy of the early printed version
of Ptolemy's "Cosmographia," the father of all atlases, dated 1482. A tip
led a Polish journalist to the shop, where he pretended to be a potential
buyer.
-------------------
Rare Book, Book-Buying and Book History Sites
[Includes This Section of Links: Security, Theft and Provenance]
<http://romaine.home.pipeline.com/oldbooks.html>
-------------------
Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Manuscripts
Columbia University Record
V. 22 No. 22 April 25, 1997
Daniel Spiegelman, 33, pleaded guilty last Thursday in Manhattan federal
court to stealing manuscript books and documents worth $1.3 million from
Columbia's Rare Book and Manuscript Library two years ago. He faces up to
25 years in jail at his sentencing this June.
Spiegelman was arrested and extradited from the Netherlands in 1995
after attempting to sell some of the manuscripts. The materials included
illuminated medieval and Arabic manuscripts, presidential papers and
historical maps. Nearly all have been recovered and will be returned to
the University, said librarian Jean Ashton.
-------------------
More million-dollar books stolen from library
By Garfield Reynolds
<http://www.friends-partners.org/oldfriends/spbweb/sppress/123/more.html>
-------------------
I hope that the above resources serve to illustrate the seriousness of
this problem of theft or rare books and maps, not to mention art which is
another subject. All of the above also goes to show that some librarians
and preservationists have a stake in medium rare.
Sincerely,
David Dillard Research Librarian
david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
ECP RingLeader
http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/ringleaders/davidd.html
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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