Nearly 19,000 items missing from county library
6/11/2005, 9:27 a.m. PT
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Thousands of books, DVDs, videotapes and CDs have
vanished from the Multnomah County Library system over the past six months,
according to a study done after a teeanager was accused of repeatedly
stealing from one branch.
Library officials found that 18,786 items had been classified as missing -
meaning that library patrons had requested them, but library staff members
could not find them.
About half are books, 25 percent are CDs, 12 percent are videotapes, 11
percent are DVDs and 2 percent are audio cassettes.
All 17 branches will now store the most easily taken items - DVDs and CDs -
behind the checkout counter.
At the three largest branches, systems already in place meant to deter
thieves have been disabled by library personnel - after repeated
malfunction.
Ginny Cooper, the former library director, said she unplugged the magnetic
security gates six years ago and stopped hiding magnetic sensors in most of
the library's collection because there were so many false alarms.
This week, library officials sent a memo to the Multnomah County board of
commissioners outlining the reasons the gates were unplugged in the late
1990s.
The main reason was the manufacturer recommends installing the gates no more
than 3 feet apart. But in the libraries where the gates were installed, they
were set wider to accommodate patrons in motorized mobility carts, requiring
the sensitivity level to be cranked up so high the alarm went off all the
time.
Other concerns included the gates' effectiveness, maintenance costs and
enforcement challenges. The memo also cited problems that might have
occurred but didn't, including the worry that sensitizing and desensitizing
the magnetic security tags would create ergonomic problems for library
staffers.
A growing number of librarians have taken steps to enforce the security of
their collections, turning late fees over to collection agencies and taking
the worst offenders to court.
While some county commissioners would like to see a more aggressive approach
to guarding the county's 2.4 million item collection, Multnomah County Chair
Diane Linn is concerned about the library losing its "honor-based" culture.
"I'm terribly concerned and deeply frustrated because we have a
responsibility to protect these public assets," Linn said. "But we want to
be very clear about promoting the honor system. We're not the only entity
here reflecting what we think the values are of the community."
Because the library does not inventory its entire collection, it is unknown
exactly how many books, CDs, DVDs and other library items have disappeared.
Concerns were renewed after The Oregonian reported last week that a teenager
allegedly walked out of the Midland branch last year with some $3,000 of CDs
and DVDs.
Binh Huu Hoang, 19, is awaiting trial on theft charges.