Lending Books

During the Middle Ages, books were so precious that books started to be inscribed with excommunications, much like those of the Ecumenical Councils, against those who either stole or failed to return to their owner. Here’s an example I recently found:

This book belongs to St. Mary of Robert’s Bridge; whosoever shall steal it or sell it, or alienate it from this house, or mutilate it, let him be anathema maranatha, Amen.

I should definitely start doing this when I lend out books…