Skip to content

Invitation to join the IFLA webinar: What happens when a book is lost? Cooperation between Libraries and the Rare Book Trade & the ILAB Missing Books Register

What happens when a book is lost? Missing a rare book or experiencing theft can be a disturbing situation for any librarian, as well as for rare booksellers.
Screenshot 2023 05 10 at 22 25 08

Thursday, 11 May 2023, 2 p.m. BST, 90 minutes

This webinar discusses ways to inform the rare book trade to stop illicit material from circulating and, whenever possible, to help return missing items. The IFLA Rare Book and Special Collections Section (RBSC) and ILAB, the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, are collaborating to emphasise the importance of reporting missing items to the book trade. Booksellers will present recent case studies and explain how the book trade can act after a report has been made.


ILAB has recently launched the ILAB Missing Books Register and will present its functionalities in a short demonstration.

The webinar will allow sufficient time for Q&A.

Programme (BST)

14.00-14.10 Introduction (Daryl Green)

14.10-14.30 Case Study 1: Fast responses across borders: How a tight security network can quickly detect and communicate theft and even assist in capturing criminals (Adrian Harrington)

14.30-14.50 Case study 2: The return of the missing Darwin notebooks to Cambridge University Library: A sample case of successful trade-library cooperation (Angus O’Neill)

14.50-15.10 Presentation of the Missing Books Register, including questions and answers (Angelika Elstner, Angus O’Neill, Mario Giupponi, Dr Claudia Bubenik)

15.10-15.20 Keynote address (Helen Vincent)

15.20-15.25/30 Closing remarks (Daryl Green)

Speakers

Dr Claudia Bubenik, Curator for Early and Rare Printed Books, Bavarian State Library, Member of IFLA Rare Books and Special Collections Section

Daryl Green, Head of Heritage Collections and Co-Director of the Centre for Research Collections, University of Edinburgh, IFLA Rare Books and Special Collections Section Chair

Helen Vincent, Head of Rare Books, Maps and Music Collections, National Library of Scotland, Member of IFLA’s Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee

Mario Giupponi, Studio Benacense (Italy), ILAB President

Angus O’Neill, Omega Bookshop (UK), ILAB Vice-President and acting ILAB Security Chair

Adrian Harrington, Adrian Harrington Rare Books (UK), ILAB President of Honour

Angelika Elstner, Executive Secretary International League of Antiquarian Booksellers

This event is free and open to the public. Please register to reserve your virtual seat.

REGISTER HERE