There was a joyful reunion here today as 4 books that walked away from the New Book Shelf at the University of Wisconsin Law Library over 3 years ago returned home. Cataloging assistant Carrie Doyle had been searching for 3 of the books since November, 2001, and for the fourth since May of 2002. "They should be here," she could be heard muttering as she faithfully checked the shelf each month. Ms. Doyle had all but given up hope of ever seeing them again when the wonderful e-mail from her colleague Mary Jo Koranda arrived, alerting her to the fact that the missing books had turned up in a box left (donated?) at the Lake Mills Public Library. The kind librarian there had noticed the Law Library's property stamps on the books and promptly sent them back where they belonged. The hooligan who had taken the books from the Law Library without checking them out had removed the spine labels from the book jackets; a clever detective could tell there were sticky spots where the labels had been. Fortunately, they did not deface the books themselves in any way. In fact, the thief left the spine labels on the actual books, so they are ready to go right back on the library's shelves. While Ms. Doyle and others at the library would love to find out how the books ended up in a box in Lake Mills; in particular, who put them there and how did that person get them past the Law Library's security system in the first place, in the end the staff is just happy the books are back where they belong. --- By Ms. Carrie Doyle The four disappearing titles were: * A. Lincoln, Esquire : a shrewd, sophisticated lawyer in his time / Allen D. Spiegel. * Writ of execution / Perri O'Â’Shaughnessy. * The associate / Phillip Margolin. * Incriminating evidence / Sheldon Siegel.

Submitted by Bonnie Shucha on February 7, 2006

This article appears in the categories: Law Library