Pickup Vanishes - And So Does A Library Oregon International Council’s Entire Collection Was In Truck

Sun., Aug. 4, 1996

Associated Press

A library is missing.

Bob Willner had stored the Oregon International Council’s library collection under a tarp in the back of his dented and rusty green 1968 GMC pickup truck.

The mobile storage unit was only temporary while shelf space was being readied in a new office on Willamette University campus.

But Tuesday night or early Wednesday, someone took the vehicle - and the library tightly packed into 40 or so boxes - from a university parking lot.

The collection of books, teaching materials, color slides and videotapes has an estimated value of $5,000 - worth more than the pickup.

A thief would have a hard time selling the materials, but they are invaluable to the teachers who use the council to learn more about the culture and geography of distant places and pass the knowledge along to students.

Willner is offering a $100 reward to anyone who can lead him to the library and his truck, which had a new clutch and a nearly empty gas tank.

“It’s a real beast, but it ran pretty well,” said Willner, executive director of the Council.

“I feel kind of stupid and discouraged over this incident,” he said. “It isn’t often you get a whole library stolen.”

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.