I may seem to be on a wild tangent of complaints here, what with my recent writing about those who won't pull their pants up and/or shut off cell phone ringers, but I have one more. Someone, a very nice lady, recently returned a cookbook to the library. It was that famous red one that we all get/give for wedding presents. I'm still using my mother's copy with its ragged, food-spotted pages. The lemon meringue pie page and the page for snickerdoodle cookies are almost illegible after 60+ years of use.
This cook wanted to investigate some new pasta recipes. What she discovered when she got home was that someone had removed the whole pasta section. This particular cookbook edition is the three ring binder type. It was very simple for someone to open it up and take out all the desired pages. If the next few people who checked it out wanted Key West Fruit Salad or Kielbasa and Bean Soup (Easy), they might not have noticed that the pasta pages were missing. So, we have no way to figure out who stole them. Actually, it could have happened right in the library-just open up the rings and remove all the pasta!
The nerve! I had always thought people who cook were generous, caring people. After some searching, I discovered a different edition of the book that doesn't have the ring binding system. It's been ordered, so all you novice cooks rest easy. The thief wasn't even smart enough to steal lemon meringue pie. It's really, really yummy.
Whenever librarians get together in meetings or via electronic listservs, the subject of the most stolen library books comes up. Some things are just universal. The books that get stolen here are the same ones that get stolen everywhere.
Books about the occult such as witchcraft are often missing right after we put them on the shelf. I haven't heard about any new Humboldt covens popping up, so I wonder what happens to the books. Just who it is that needs them so badly? David Pelzer's books, including A Child Called It, often disappear. For awhile we kept them behind the desk. If you wanted to read about the poor, abused child Dave says he was, you would have to ask a librarian. I wonder if the thieves would like to hear that Pelzer's siblings say that none of what he writes is true, that he writes whatever he thinks will sell books. I also wonder why Pelzer would say those things about his parents if it wasn't true.
Another section that is susceptible to larceny is books about pregnancy and childbirth. Since most women who chose to become pregnant are excited and proud, I imagine the pregnancy book thieves are underage and ill prepared. I visualize them hiding behind the shrubbery at the library to look at the books where they can't be observed. Even sadder to think about is that baby name books are amongst the hardest to keep on the shelves. It just breaks my heart.
Please, folks, don't just help yourself to library materials. Bring it to the counter like a grownup. We won't judge you by your reading matter. Witchcraft and child abuse could be the topic of a research paper. The baby names book might be needed to name a new puppy for all I know. I don't care why you check out what you do. I won't ask, but, please check it out. Stealing from the library is a crime.