Wilmington Institute Free Library Rarities Rotting

Staff -- Library Journal, 3/5/2001

A collection of valuable rarities owned by the Wilmington Institute Free Library, DE, the state's oldest library, is being threatened because the facility can't afford to store the items properly. The AP reports that the collection includes such rarities as a full set of The North American Indian Collection, a single volume of which recently fetched $8000 at auction. A rare book dealer commented that even to see a single volume is unusual, but to see a full set is "unheard of," yet the library's set remains stored in a basement where it and other valuable items are exposed to sweaty heating pipes, dust, and insects. The library apparently just can't afford to house the materials properly, thanks to a budget of only $3 million, most of which is spent on everyday maintenance.