Library theft prevention
Peter E. Hanff · College & Research Libraries News · 1984
The results of an informal survey of collection security precautions among North American libraries.I n late 1982 and early 1983, the Security Committee of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section of ACRL conducted an informal survey of libraries in North America to learn what policies and proce dures were in place for protection against library theft.The survey was conducted by questionnaires addressed to library administrators.In order to as sure that the administrators were aware of recent recommendations on library security, copies of the ACRL-approved "Guidelines for the Security of Rare Book, Manuscript, and Other Special Collec tions" (published in C&RL News, March 1982, pp.90-93) were sent along with the questionnaire.While the survey was being conducted, a major international conference on library theft was being planned for Oberlin College under a special grant from the H. W. Wilson Foundation.The informa tion generated by the survey complements the de liberations of the conference which was held in September 1983.The results of the survey will be of interest to library administrators, the Oberlin Con ference participants, and others concerned with se curity of library collections.In the 1970s many libraries began to develop w ritten plans for emergency response to lifethreatening and collection-threatening situations.Conservation programs, improved fire-detection and fire-fighting systems, evacuation procedures, and w ater-dam age procedures have now been dealt with by many libraries.Security planning to protect against theft and, particularly, to deal with