Resolution

The Rare Books and Manuscript Section (RBMS) and the Map and Geography Roundtable (MAGERT) of the American Library Association mutually commend members of the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA), the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB), and the International Antiquarian Mapsellers Association (IAMA) for their cooperation in assisting with the recent recoveries of stolen maps and books removed from library and archival collections.  Thanks to the assistance of these organizations and other members of the antiquarian trade, valuable cultural resources have been returned to their home libraries and archives. 

To this end, RBMS and MAGERT wish to commend the cooperation of the following booksellers, auction houses, and map dealers:
 

Richard B. Arkway Inc.,

The Old Print Shop

Clive A. Burden Ltd.

Oak Knoll Books

Colin Franklin

Scott Ritchie

Philip Pirages

E.K. Schreiber

James Cummins

Liber Antiquus

Hermitage Bookshop

Joseph Felcone

The Veatchs Arts of the Book

Bernard Quaritch

Estates of Mind

Tesseract Books

Marlborough Rare Books

Sotheby's

Swann Galleries

William Reese Company 
 

Their efforts made possible the recent recovery of materials stolen from Yale University, Harvard University, the Boston Public Library, the Newberry Library, the New York Public Library, and other institutions by E. Forbes Smiley, and from the University of Texas at Austin by Mimi Meyer. 

The members of RBMS and MAGERT remain committed to working together with the members of the antiquarian trade to prevent further sale and distribution of stolen books and maps from libraries, archives, and museums.  

A copy of this resolution will be forwarded to the ABAA, ILAB, and IAMA. 
 

On behalf of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section, ALA

Christian Dupont, Chair 

On behalf of the Map and Geography Roundtable, ALA

Pete Reehling, Chair 

October 1, 2007