biblioklept

plural biblioklepts

1. rareA person who steals books.

   That thief was Samuel Raynor Dupree, a novice accompanied by more experienced biblioklepts he knew only as Paul and Swede.

   2013 June 28, Carolyn Kellogg, “Throwing the book at 'Thieves of Book Row'”, in Los Angeles Times, archived from the original on 29 Jun 2022

   3 more examples

   Thus Libri, who was the greatest of Biblioklepts, rescued many of the books he stole from dirt and misuse, and had them bound royally in purple and scarlet.

   1880 October 23, “The Book-Stealer”, in Saturday Review, volume 50, number 1304, London: John W. Parker and Son, page 510

   He loved to walk through his library, stopping before this or that special item; and, because there were biblioklepts even among the humanists in the papal employ, he kept the most precious manuscripts for greater safety in his own bedroom.

   1944, Douglas Rigby, Elizabeth Rigby, Lock, Stock and Barrel: The Story of Collecting, Philadelphia, P.A. [and others]: J. B. Lippincott Company, page 177

   If the book's authentic, it's a national treasure! A historic find! I shouldn't wonder you'd feel a bit uncomfortable having it in your library at home in the Orchard. It's worth an absolute fortune. Every biblioklept in Britain will be bashing in the panes of your French doors.

   1999, Julie Wallin Kaewert, Untitled: A Booklover's Mystery:, New York, N.Y.: Bantam Books, →ISBN, page 28