Bookplates are unique labels, typically made of paper or cardstock, pasted into books by individuals or libraries as proof of ownership. As Blumberg moved across the country, he methodically removed bookplates from the books he stole in order to prevent their being traced back to their original homes. Blumberg kept many of these bookplates as “souvenirs” from his thefts. This map gives a partial reconstruction of the libraries Blumberg hit based on the bookplates recovered from Blumberg’s home and stored in the Creighton University Archives. It shows the coast-to-coast journey Blumberg made to steal books. While he visited the majority of US states, this map clearly shows a preference for the Midwest, especially the Great Lakes region. The map also shows Blumberg had no preference for a certain type of library. Large and small public libraries, small liberal arts colleges, world-renowned collections at top-tier research institutions - nobody was safe from Blumberg. In all, the map represents part of the journey of America’s greatest book thief.
