A system of vaults, padlocked doors, underground rooms, locked drawers and closed bookshelves protect more than $100 million worth of manuscripts, books and photographs in Baker Library's Special Collections.
A discussion of the library's security system, which followed the recent theft of a $150,000 rare book from a public library in Vermont, has determined the system is "tight," Special Collections Librarian Philip Cronenwett said.
Two weeks ago a thief pried open bars on a basement window, cracked the book's case and stole an antique chromolithographed edition of John James Audubon's "Birds of America" from the Norman Williams Public Library in Woodstock, Vt.
The mammoth original edition of Audubon's colorful anthology of American birds is on display in Baker in an open-faced glass case in the middle of the Special Collection's reading room. The set of four books - of which, the College owns three - has been valued at approximately $3.5 million, Cronenwett said.
Cronenwett said the crime caused librarians to discuss the College's security system, which protects Dartmouth's rare books, manuscripts and photographs. They decided security is "tight" and that security did not have to be "beefed-up," he said.
Cronenwett admits it is "theoretically" possible to steal the Audubon books or any other of the 100,000 books, 500,000 pictures or 6.5 million manuscripts that the collection houses on three levels in Baker.
The collection houses the College's early records, such as Eleazar Wheelock's first letters about Dartmouth, manuscripts from the 13th century and books dating back to the invention of the printing press.
Cronenwett said rural areas, such as northern New England, and small institutions have been targeted in the past because of lax security.
Though Cronenwett and Administrative Services Librarian John Crane, who is in charge of library security, were reluctant to disclose information, both said the system is "extremely good."
"You're always being watched," Cronenwett said.
Crane said 90 of the Library's 150 employees are involved in the security, but the College does not hire guards to keep a watch over the collection.
All visitors are asked to sign in at Special Collections, located on the first floor of Baker across from the Class of 1902 Room. All requests for materials are made in writing, which allows records to be kept of who sees what and when. The library reserves the right to ask for and hold identification, Crane said.
Libraries, as a security measure, commonly use ultraviolet ink to mark their books so book dealers would know if someone was trying to resell a stolen book. Cronenwett would not confirm that Dartmouth uses such ink, but said "we do mark materials."
Both Cronenwett and Crane emphasized the balance between security and "openness."
"We are probably the most open Special Collections that I know of. That's not to say we're not the most secure," Cronenwett said. "We don't want to put people off by having around a guard at the front door checking ID, and doing background checks. We don't want it to be an FBI security check."
Crane added, "We could very well just lock all the books up."
The book that was stolen from Woodstock was insured for $35,000, well under its market value. Cronenwett would not specify the exact amount of the College's insurance policy, but said, "we're talking a lot, a large policy in excess of $100 million."
The last time someone tried to remove a book from Special Collections was 30 years ago, Cronenwett said. The perpetrator was an alumnus who was suffering from Alzheimer's disease and he just walked out of the room with the book, he said. Although he could not discuss the specifics of the case, Cronenwett said the book was safely returned.
"If you steal something, I certainly hope you cross the river. Carrying stolen materials across state boarders is a federal offense," Cronenwett said.
