ravings and other books from Harvard libraries having an estimated value of $500,000 (Reed 3). The Library of Congress, which houses many valuable collections, reported that 300,000 volume were missing during 1992-1994, $1.8 million in losses, including damages from mutilation (Gleick 52). In 1982, the Toronto Metropolitan Library reported in 1982 that 2,000 of two million volumes were missing, having a value of $250,000 (Clingston 52).
Many library thefts are committed by one-time users, such as teen-agers furtively interested in books on sex. Mosley et al. reported that in one survey the book most frequently stolen was The Joy of Sex (39). Other groups are persons preparing for examinations and do-it-yourself repairs. Clingston estimated that 10 percent of the thefts were done by perpetual offenders, some of whom had simply gotten into the habit of not returning overdue books. Some thieves were religious zealots who removed volumes they regarded as offensive to their beliefs. Another group were students seeking to achieve competitive advantages over their peers and teachers who had "bibliomania" or who were engaged in scholastic rivalries. Clapp reported that a 1984 survey of losses at law libraries showed that 49 percent of the thefts were by students, 36 percent by attorneys and 29 percent by faculty members (606). Even young children are involved. In 1997, the University of Minnesota reported the theft of 200 books, including Bugs Bunny, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Tarzan and Popeye (Hoyle 1).
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