In an example of 'how on earth did that happen?', it transpires that the British Library have 'misplaced' 9,000 books in its collection, including a first edition of Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray, some irreplaceable medieval and Renaissance texts and a luxury edition of Mein Kampf. (Yes, you read that right. It's a 1939, Hitler's 50th birthday edition. Erm.) The BL don't suspect light-fingered bibliophiles, however; they reckon the majority of the books have just got lost in the 625km of shelving. SInce the lost works are worth thousands of pounds, we recommend having a quick look down the back of the bookcase or in that bag that hasn't been used for months. Are they sure they didn't lend anything to a forgetful friend? Did the dog eat it? It just goes to show - even the Dewey system can be undermined by the fleshy organic things that use it. (Image / Ian Muttoo)
Lost Book Hunt At The British Library
Lost Book Hunt At The British Library
Last Updated 17 March 2009