Why was a dealer in antiquities allowed unsupervised access to a rare book library’s collection? Wasn’t that asking for trouble? Perhaps a legitimate scholar might be allowed the privilege — although a facsimile probably would do. But the fact that E. Forbes Smiley III, in economic distress, and whose actions had raised previous suspicion, managed to get his light fingers on original works, even sneaking an X-acto knife past the guards, shows that so-called security was not doing its job.

Lest we not judge before we cast stones from a glass house.

I find your comment on glass houses smarmy. I am not in a glass house on this issue, having never stolen a print (or anything else) from a library. And if he is guilty, I say cut off his nuts (figuratively speaking).

Gullible archivists and librarians must get with it and inventory all ‘important’ images in their collections. And that includes raising the alarm, and raising the money to fund the work.

That said, anyone could steal a map. Dealers have no special corner on avarice and kleptomania. But your overall point is a good one- at a minimum, all public facing security should be reviewed and upgraded where necessary. This included technology, staffing and serious database work about the objects.