Ian and Athena Bartlett (Mesa Police Department photo).
We occasionally report on long overdue books finally being returned to libraries. This story is about some other overdue books, lots of them, but in this case there was no intention of returning them, late or otherwise.
Ian and Athena Bartlett were not the sharpest of thieves. They seem to be living on the margins of society, possibly homeless, with a scheme that would appear certain to get you caught. Amazingly, they were able to steal an estimated $6,000 worth of books before that happened.
Ian Bartlett would borrow books from the Mesa Public Library in Mesa, Arizona. He racked up $1,500 worth of unreturned library books when his account was suspended. He took out another library card and borrowed some more.
Meanwhile, Athena Bartlett would take the books to a used books store. She would sell them, many of them. She sold over 400 books this way. They were estimated to be worth $6,200, but it is not clear how much she received. This is the kind of scheme you can pull off for a while, but if you keep it up, your luck will run out, especially if you are not careful.
In this case, the books had their library stamps in them. When Mrs. Bartlett brought 19 of these books to Half Price Books, they refused to buy them. Bartlett left the store, leaving the books behind. Half Price Books told the Mesa library about the books. When they scanned them, they discovered they had been taken out by Ian Bartlett. They also discovered Bartlett had "borrowed" 400 other books that had not been returned. The next time the couple returned to the library, the staff called police. The jig was up.
Reportedly, the two admitted to selling the books they borrowed. They face charges of theft and trafficking in stolen property.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Euclid. Praeclarissimus Liber Elementorum in Artem Geometrie, Venice, Ratdolt, 25 May 1482, first edition of the first substantial mathematical work to appear in print, Durazzo copy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Galilei, Galileo. Sidereus nuncius …, Venice, 1610, first edition of the foundation of modern astronomy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Kepler, Johannes. Astronomia nova aitiologitos …, Prague or Heidelberg, 1609, first edition, contemporary vellum, the Chasles copy.
Sotheby’s, Oct. 20: Cellarius, Andreas. Harmonia macrocosmica seu atlas universalis et novus ..., Amsterdam, Jan Jansson, 1661, brilliantly handcolored.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Fine restoration binding in the style of the Queen’s binders.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Magnus Hundt, the elder. First edition of one of the earliest printed books with anatomical illustrations.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Agatha Christie. Cards on the Table. First edition.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Beautiful and Damned. First edition, first printing.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Isaac Asimov. I, Robot. First edition, presentation copy.
Heritage Auctions, Oct. 14: Bible, in English. Geneva-Tomson-Junius. London: Robert Barker, [colophon 1612]/1611.
Gonnelli: Auction 72 Books, Autographs & Manuscripts October 6th-8th 2026
