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Library officials assure collection is safe despite theft

By Daily Bruin Staff

Feb. 14, 1996 9:00 p.m.

Library officials assure collection is safe despite theft

By Brooke Olson

Daily Bruin Staff

After the recent conviction of the person who admittedly stole
more than $1 million worth of material from UCLA libraries, some
have questioned whether collectibles stored in the library are
secure.

Between 1990 and 1992, Robert Bermeo stole rare items from both
the library’s special and general collections. He was sentenced
last week to three years and four months in state prison.

Bermeo was a trusted library employee who had access to archive
materials. He was also responsible for taking inventory and
cataloguing the contents.

"He had a key and he had the trust of those who had hired him,"
said Brian Schottlaender, an assistant university librarian.

However, both police and library officials said they are
confident that library security has improved immensely since the
thefts. For example, the library no longer allows staff members to
take backpacks and briefcases into areas where library materials
are held.

Officials are also planning to centralize the processing of
archival materials in Powell Library within the next few months

"This shared processing facility has state of the art security
devices in it," Schottlaender said. "One security feature is a
device which will allow officials to track exactly who is in a
facility and when they are there."

The libraries have installed closed-circuit televisions, and key
code access units are also present in the buildings, said
university librarian Sharon Farb.

"UCLA has made a major commitment to ensure that this sort of
theft cannot and will not happen again," Farb said.

Library officials said hiring processes and staff procedures
have also improved since the thefts.

Not only have background checks on all employees become
mandatory, but workers are also issued color-coded photo
identifications. The cards designate which areas each employee may
enter. Community service officers are responsible for checking the
identification cards, Farb said.

In addition to the other security precautions, more than one
worker is now responsible for inventory, said university librarian
Brigitte Kueppers.

Library officials characterized Bermeo’s thefts as a "random
occurrence which could happen at any library." However, librarians
said that UCLA is currently at the "forefront of security."

"I have been to other libraries and the officials there are not
nearly as on top of security as UCLA is," Farb said. "Although
security still needs to be improved, we do have a lot of positive
measures installed and initiated in the libraries."

Security has also been improved by relying on Community Service
Officers to patrol the buildings. The officers have monitored the
libraries since 1984, and they are responsible for reporting
emergencies and deterring would-be thieves.

"The presence of the community service officers has definitely
helped deter any sort of thefts," said university police Sgt. John
Adams.

Others agreed that the collaboration between the library and the
police will improve security immensely.

"The library has made and will continue to make every effort to
ensure that this type of theft does not occur again," Schottlaender
said. "Library officials and police work very closely with each
other to prevent these types of thefts."Comments to
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