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December 14, 2005
Apology and Irony
Recently these books were stolen from our library: The Complete Writer's Guide to Heroes and Heroines, Guide to Fiction Writing, Writing the Novel, and The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them). Despite the fact that we take measures to guard our resources, it is unfortunate that people sometimes find ways to circumvent that protection. The thief left irrefutable physical evidence that the books were stolen, and the modus operandi was the same for all four books. Library book theft is not only an offense against the library, it is an offense against the entire campus. We offer an apology to any aspiring writer who may have intended to use those books and to all library users.
The irony of the situation becomes apparent when one considers the choice of books stolen and the thief's probable motive: becoming an author of fiction. Although fiction is not real or factually true, good fiction writing must have the ring of truth to it to be good. The characters must be believable, and the storyline plausible and coherent within its individual milieu. A thief by his/her very actions is not honest, so how could he/she write truthfully when he/she cannot behave truthfully?
Furthermore, Webster's defines hero/heroine as a man/woman "of distinguished courage or ability," admired for his/her "brave deeds and noble qualities." On the other hand, Webster's notes that a thief is one who "takes the goods or property of another by stealth without the latter's knowledge." In short, a hero has integrity--something that a thief lacks. Perhaps the thieving would-be writer will someday have his/her own work stolen. That would be poetic justice!
Posted by RMLibrarians at December 14, 2005 12:59 PM
Comments
I was outraged to learn about this, as well. These books directly support our MA Program in Writing Popular Fiction and our graduate students rely on them. I assume our program is also paying to order the replacements.
Any would-be writer who would steal from the very industry that he wishes to enter into is clearly not the sort of writer who is going to make it very long in the publishing trade. And their karma will come. Besides: why would anyone would steal from a library in the first place? Books can be checked out free and often renewed.
Thank you, librarians, for putting up with things like this!
-- Mike Arnzen
Posted by: Mike Arnzen at December 14, 2005 10:09 PM
Thank you for your supportive comments, Dr. Arnzen! There always has been and always will be a natural affinity between librarians and writers.
I want to clarify something important about this situation. Any time a book is stolen or even just taken from the library and never returned, the departments do not pay for replacements. The replacement costs come out of the library's resource budget. Since this budget area covers the purchase of all types of materials in all subject areas, this type of theft or negligence ends up hurting everyone, regardless of major or specialization. Everyone has to do with less because of the irresponsibility and/or unethicality of a few bad apples.
Posted by: Marcia Pietrala at December 15, 2005 10:41 AM
Appalling. Every time I see a misused library book or hear of one being stolen, I become angered. The perpetrator obviously does not understand that the idea of books is to share information, and thus free borrowing libraries were created. Keeping information to one's self is a privilege, and that's why we pay for books.
This is an outrage. And how sad that we must all suffer for one person's satisfaction and hopes of becoming a writer (whose books we would purchase...).
Posted by: Karissa at December 15, 2005 2:22 PM
That's so sad! Aren't libraries facing enough troubles with lack of funding without library patrons STEALING books that are already free to borrow and read? Grrrr... this makes me incredibly angry! I agree with Dr. A: Bad karma will surely follow this unscrupulous writer!
Posted by: moira at December 15, 2005 3:06 PM
Some 2005 issues of Writer and Writer's Digest are also missing. I suspect the same person is responsible. Unfortunately, the guilty party will probably never be found...but if you happen to be reading this and want to atone, just put these items in interoffice mail and we will be happy to have them back.
Posted by: Judith Koveleskie at December 21, 2005 1:10 PM
Stealing a library book so only you can have it is about as bad as burning it so nobody can have it.
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at December 21, 2005 4:28 PM
This is a shame. I can not understand why anyone would want to do such a thing. If the person wanted those books that badly why didn't they just write down the title and then buy them, as I've done in the past with fiction books that I liked to read.
Posted by: Lou Gagliardi at December 21, 2005 11:33 PM
I've heard of this sort of behavior at Havard or Yale... but I like to think SHU is above that!
Dodge Intrepid wouldn't have let this happen...
Posted by: Mike Rubino at December 22, 2005 12:05 AM