New-York tribune., 1898-01-02
STEALING LIBRARY BOOKS.
THE INTERESTS OF THE PUBLIC, NOT THE
VALUE OF THE BOOKS. THE
CHIEF CONSIDERATION

In certain newspaper Offices much emphasis has
been laid the assertion that the officers OF the
Astor Library showed harsh and vindicive spirit
In insisting that a boy who had stolen few books
from the library should he held for trial In one OF
the Magistrates courts although he stoutly as
serted that he only took the books 10 help him In
his studies In the high school, his parents being
too poor TO permit him to purchase what he needed
IN this line The Magistrate before whom the boy
was arra'gned Mr. Brann. took an unusual Inter
est In tho case and personally pleaded with the
superintendent Of the library to withdraw the com
plant The superintendent however. declared that
he was acting under the instructions of the Execu-
tive Committee. and had no option but to obey
them. whereupon the Magistrate roundly denounced
the library authorities n soulness corporation.
thus giving sensational writer's n cue which they
were not slow to take.
In behalf Of the library II may he said that there
was no intention the part OF those In charge to
send the boy TO prison or 10 subject him to fine.
but there definite purpose make ex-
ample OF him. 10 tho extent OF showing that books
could not be pilfered with impunity. II was not
the value of the books in themselves that affected
their action. but the fact that when the books were
taken away the public who the library were de-
prived o. the Of them. There IL n special stat
ute relating to the theft of books from free public
libraries. intended for the protection OF the public
In precisely this respect
Under It's present MANAGEMENT the Astor Library
rs part OF the New-York Public Library has
pursued more liberal policy than formerly pre-
vailed. and several months ago number of small
histories compends and the like were placed on
the reference shelves TO which readers have free
access. Some OF the old employees predicted that
they would be stolen and IT was not long before
their prediction proved correct A watch was set
but the thief had been discovered before II was
found that certain books which not in the
open reference department. but had been called for
IN tho regular way, were also missing. As readers
who ask for books obliged 10 give their names
and addresses. an investigation at once made
showing that the name and address given by the
person asking for the books In question were false
This indicated that he had deliberately planned to
rob the library.
Soon suspicion was attached to n certain bov and
in time suspicion turned into certainty and
he was arrested. At first he denied everything but
afterward he confessed that he had taken the
books. In his room nine were found. He had torn
out the title pages in order remove the stamp
indicating that they belonged to the library The
facts were clearly against the culpr!t despite his
protests that he did not intend steal the books
and really needed them TO carry his studies. As
a matter OF fact there are perhaps hundred
schoolboys who make use OF the Astor Library to
help them I'm their studies and when boy car
ried away books that were in demand he deprived
all the other boys Of the opportunity Of consulting
them.
The nine books taken by the bog recently ar
rested not the only ones stolen from the Astor
Library in the last few months: but il is hoped on
account Of the publicity given TO this and the
disposition clearly manifested by the library au.
thorlties to bring Offenders to book that there will
he no more stealing. The library people dislike 10
set watch on their readers, and regard It as a
disagreeable necessity. 1t is not the value OF the
books that may be stolen which they regard I'm
portaInt su, the fact that the community az large
which hundred a thousand visitors ought TO
have the privilege OF consulting for the asking.