LISNews: Librarian News

Aaron Swartz, a 24-year-old programmer and online political activist, was charged with stealing millions of documents from M.I.T. and JSTOR, an archive of scientific journals and academic papers.

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Police Bust College Textbook Theft Ring
An employee at an off-campus bookstore discovered a theft ring that used doctored textbooks to make quick cash from the Georgia Gwinnett College library, police said.

Four people are accused of orchestrating the plan that involved taking books from the library and cashing them in at Dorks Textbooks in Lawrenceville.

From North Jersey News: The former director of the Haledon Free Public Library was arrested Friday on an official misconduct charge in connection with online purchases she allegedly paid with library funds.

Judith Erk, currently an assistant librarian at Manchester Regional High School in Haledon, is charged with one count of official misconduct and one count of theft by deception in excess of $75,000. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in state prison. North Haledon Municipal Court Judge Harold Cook set Erk’s bail at $50,000. It could not be confirmed late Friday if she had posted bail and was free.

Authorities executed a search warrant of Erk’s home Friday morning, according to authorities, where evidence pertaining to the case was recovered. Items seized included electronics, kitchen appliances, jewelry and a faux fireplace.

Follow up to our story from mid-March, here...

Boston Herald reports: The former director of Revere’s public library has pleaded not guilty to embezzling more than $200,000 from the city (however, he did admit in this article to being a 'shopaholic') .

Robert Rice Jr. was released without bail at his arraignment Wednesday on charges of larceny, fraud and embezzlement, but was ordered to surrender his passport.

Authorities say the 45-year-old Rowley resident used city money to buy items, which he either kept for himself or resold online. The items he allegedly bought with city funds included a replica of a Thompson submachine gun and a camera which prosecutors say he described on purchase orders as books.

The alleged thefts took place between 2005 and his resignation in January 2009.