Theft from libraries of books, historical documents, maps and other materials from libraries is a significant problem. One study commissioned in the UK estimated the average loss rate of libraries to theft at 5.3%. It is typically prevented by installing electronic article surveillance alarms at the doors. Library materials are tagged and if the tag is not deactivated it sounds an alarm. In some libraries with older or rare materials, readers are not allowed to take coats or bags into the reading area except for a few items in a clear plastic bag. Security cameras are not commonly used in libraries for privacy reasons. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the third conviction for library theft is a felony, regardless of the value of material. Library thieves, who may be staff or regular visitors of the library, risk being discovered if a book is found in the library catalog, but is missing from the shelves. To avoid this, some thieves also steal the corresponding catalog card.
Trends
In public libraries, librarians have noticed common themes in what subjects are most frequently stolen. Books on topics such as sex and witchcraft are popular with thieves, as are guides for General Educational Development testing. In a poll taken in 1996, the top three books that went missing were: The Joy of Sex, GED Examination Books, and the Prophecies of Nostradamus.
Incidents and perpetrators
departments of libraries especially fall target to professional thieves. In 1996, two rare early Mormon manuscripts were stolen from the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, when the thief requested the manuscript and replaced it with a facsimile. In many cases, document thieves occupy positions of trust, or have established records of legitimate accomplishment, prior to their crimes. Examples of notable convicted document thieves include:
John Charles Gilkey, for instance, stole hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books over the course of many years. These crimes were largely the product of a personal obsession, illustrating the range of motives in document thefts.
