5 ms·

So why wasn't the thing returned by post, I wonder? Perhaps the notebooks never left the building ...

• samwillis 5y ago
  It’s the cling film they were wrapped in that makes me sure they we outside the building. My theory, an academic “forgot” they had “borrowed” them. Probably found a innocent broke student to deposit the package outside the office in the library in exchange for a sandwich. They will certainly have cctv of the person returning it.
  • jfk13 5y ago
    Alternative that seems at least equally likely to me: a student took them, either as a stupid dare/prank or with the thought that they could sell them; then realised they had no idea how to go about fencing such an item, and stashed them away; now, 20+ years later, they've finally grown-up enough to decide that they're never going to make a fortune selling them, and should do the decent thing by returning them unharmed. If that's the case, the cling-film may be 20 years old, which is probably something analysis can establish. Or, the academic who took them eventually died; in sorting through their stuff, their heirs realised what this was and wanted to return them, but didn't want anyone's name dragged into it. In that scenario, the cling-film is more likely recent, just used to package them for returning.
  • Ntrails 5y ago
    > My theory, an academic “forgot” they had “borrowed” them. Or genuinely meant to borrow them for some reason, but couldn't be assed with the process involved. Maybe it had been mentioned to someone who worked in the library at the time who was a friend, nudge and a wink and I'll get them back next quarter. 6 months passes, the friend moved jobs and no longer have an easy route of return. Ignore the problem until it's far too late to solve in any useful way. etc etc
• Angostura 5y ago
  These things are worth millions. I the impression whoever took them was aware of their value and fragility.
  • BoardsOfCanada 5y ago
    And put them on the floor in a public area of the library? Mail seems safer.