NCJ Number
83429
Date Published
1982
Length
157 pages
Annotation
The theft of rare books, manuscripts, archives, and works of art is increasing at a rapid rate; institutions must address the problem of security for their collections.
Abstract
In general, annual losses from theft are equal to between 14 and 23 percent of acquisition budgets for libraries. The figure is even higher for rare books, manuscripts, and other specialized collections. The art or manuscript thief is not usually poor or uneducated and does not necessarily steal for the purpose of reselling the work. Prevention of the initial theft is the primary objective, since recovery of the stolen works is frequently impossible. Manuscripts, for example, should be marked, but marking alone will not necessarily provide a deterrent. The fact that security considerations have not been given the proper emphasis in the past makes the task of doing so now more difficult. In addition, library policies change frequently, making it difficult to determine if a book is stolen or merely misplaced on the shelf. Future library buildings must be designed with security in mind. Guards hired to protect rare books and art works should be courteous, knowledgeable, and trustworthy. Both physical surveillance and technical surveillance techniques (e.g., cameras and electronic monitoring equipment) should be employed when indicated, but generally the simpler the surveillance, the better it is. Electronic security systems are not the panacea that many believe them to be. Chapter notes and over 150 references are provided. A list of persons interviewed is supplied.