Ohio libraries fight losses from theft

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio libraries squeezed by state funding cuts are trying to stop money from going out the door with thieves.

The Columbus Dispatch reports today that the state’s public libraries lose about 2 percent of their books, DVDs and other materials each year.

For a large library the replacement costs can be considerable. The Columbus Metropolitan Library loses about $900,000 in items each year, at least half because of theft.

The 21-branch library system uses a variety of methods to foil thieves, including security cameras and electronic chips placed in books.

Other libraries take different approaches. North of Columbus, the Delaware County District Library has four branches with no electronic security measures. Director Mary Jane Santos compares them to “using an elephant gun to shoot a flea.”