Harvard libraries recxover rare books

Harvard University police recently reported that about $600,000 worth of rare books, maps and drawings were stolen from the university's libraries. Cambridge, Mass. police arrested Jose Torres-Carbonnel in late August on charges of stealing 1,700 items -- including rare 18th and 19th century Spanish etchings. They charged him with two counts of "larceny over $250." The police cracked the case when Harvard librarians phoned Carbonnel about items he had advertised in a Spanish catalog. After confessing that some of the items bore Harvard stamps, Carbonnel admitted to the crime. Harvard spokesperson Alex Huppe said he is optimistic that the university will retrieve all the valuables, some of which reportedly sold for upwards of $5,000. This incident was the second major theft from Harvard's world-renowned libraries in the past 15 years. But Huppe said security at the libraries is tight. "Harvard gives a lot of thought to the security of its documents and its valuable collections," he said. "Harvard's library is the largest private library in the world, so there's a lot to look out for. I think it's safe to say that we've had relatively few thefts." In a system similar to Penn's, Harvard students and professors must show identification cards to check out books, which are also tagged to set off an alarm if the books are improperly removed. Library robberies are not unique to Harvard. Many universities have had documents stolen -- including Penn, said Van Pelt Library Operational Services Manager Charles Jenkins, who oversees the library's maintenance, security and safety. Jenkins said nothing of substantial value has been stolen from Penn's libraries in recent years, though there have been minor thefts. Some valuable items have been stolen in the past, Jenkins added. "Some were quite valuable," he said. "And some we got back, but some we didn't." Most recently, a then-Van Pelt employee stole $1.8 million of rare documents and books over a five-year period ending in 1990. At Van Pelt, each book is tagged like those at Harvard and individuals must show all books to the doorman as they leave the building. In Van Pelt's Special Collections department -- which houses the library's most valuable materials -- individuals must be buzzed in and out of the room. Despite security measures at both Penn and Harvard, along with other universities throughout the country, people have found ways to get coveted documents out of libraries. "No matter how good your security is, if they want a book, they can get it out of the building," Jenkins said. "There are some very inventive people." Huppe added that the documents' value is a strong incentive for potential thieves. "As these documents become more valuable and more valued and prized by collectors, there's clearly a need for increased security," Huppe said, noting that library security is an ongoing concern. Jenkins said he and his staff constantly study Van Pelt security to ensure maximum protection. "We try to revise our procedures accordingly if we find out about a theft -- not so much in increasing security but in the manner of which we protect the materials," Jenkins said.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.