Join the Metro New York Illini Club for Crimes Against Books.

When thinking about the peaceful environment of a library, things like organized crime, special investigators and covert sting operations don’t immediately spring to mind. But it turns out that public and university libraries have a long history of being the targets of heists, often masterminded by crooked booksellers. Professor Travis McDade, interim head of the University of Illinois Rare Book & Manuscript Library, is the country’s foremost expert on crimes against rare books, maps and other printed cultural heritage resources. He has written several books on the subject, including one in 2013 about a decades-long rare book operation during the Depression-era of New York City: “Thieves of Book Row: New York’s Most Notorious Rare Book Ring and the Man Who Ended It.”

Professor McDade will be telling the story about 1970’s book thief Bob Kindred and what happened when he decided the University of Illinois Library was to be his next victim.

Admission includes beer, wine, soda and light hors d’oeuvres.

Sponsored by University of Illinois Library Friends.