When I saw this, I instantly thought of James Turner’s Rex Libris: The Charleston, W.Va., Gazette profiles state archive director Fred Armstrong, whom it dubs “Library Crimefighter”:
One day about 20 years ago, librarians at the state Archive had their eye on a suspicious-looking visitor who was known to have a criminal record. After he left, one of the staff members flew urgently back to the boss’s office.
“He just took off with the book!”
Archive Director Fred Armstrong charged down the hallway, out the doors and down the front steps, taking each group of steps in a single, long-legged leap.
The thief had turned left toward a parking lot, in the vicinity of the current site of the Veterans Memorial.
Fred ran to the man and said something to the effect of “I need you to come back inside. That book belongs to the collection.”
The book, which would’ve cost $200 to replace, was safely recovered.
You can sample Rex Libris at the SLG Publishing website.
November 16th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Also, Bookhunter
November 16th, 2007 at 11:51 am
Who would win in a fight: Bookhunter or Rex Libris?
November 16th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
I am going to send that librarian a copy of Rex Libris. You just don’t mess with librarians.
I don’t think Rex and the Bookhunters would fight, united as they are in the librarians cause.
November 16th, 2007 at 1:32 pm
Wait, I just read the whole article. The library fired him! So I guess I can’t send him a copy since I don’t have an address. Bummer.
November 18th, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Yeah, we librarians stick together. Mr. Armstrong was fired for questioning questionable practices by the administration. His situation has made library news, and supporters are protesting what they see as a bad decision. I hope the firing will be reversed; Mr. Armstrong is one of the real good guys.