Library gets sculpture back

By D.A. Wilkinson

The library plans to increase security measures.

COLUMBIANA — The kids are back with the kids.

“The Readers,” the bronze sculpture of a boy and girl reading a book on a bench, has been returned to the Columbiana Public Library.

Library workers Thursday decorated the library with welcome-home decorations and artwork from children.

A colored photograph of the sculpture was turned into a paper jigsaw puzzle. Another photo was used to make a black line drawing of the sculpture on white paper for coloring.

The sculpture, by Max Turner, is unique and has become an icon for the library. Children often sit with the bronze figures, who have never been named.

The sculpture stayed indoors until early in 2005, when it was placed just outside the front door. The sculpture was stolen in January but was quickly recovered. It was stored in the police department’s evidence room until it returned to the library Wednesday.

“A lot of people seem excited it’s come back,” said Carol Cobbs, the librarian.

There is a small piece missing from the base of the right front leg, and another small piece missing from the top of the bench. There are a couple of small scratches on the figures

Cobbs said the scratches may have been caused when the thieves tried to determine the contents of the metal. Police found the $12,500 piece had been sold to a Youngstown scrap company for $331.50.

Two men have been charged with the crime and are awaiting trial.

Library officials won’t try to make repairs until they see if the sculpture’s patina may disguise the damage.

Before the theft, the library board had been considering increasing security in general.

“The Readers” are expected to be back outdoors by early summer.

“We’ll devise a way to anchor it,” Cobbs said. “We’ll try to make it a little more difficult [to take] this time.”

For the welcome home, the sculpture was moved from its indoor resting spot in the children’s section to a room for story time. Seventy young children took part in three sessions.

Carrie Radman, the youth services librarian, said, “The children knew it was gone and missed it.”

When the children went to color after the reading, a boy went up and touched the figures.

A library worker asked what was the object against the wall, and another boy said, “That’s our statue.”

wilkinson@vindy.com