Guest Author - Lorna London Sloukji

Bruce Cameron, former executive director of the Wheatland Regional Library (WRL), in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Canada pleaded guilty to embezzling almost one million dollars. In the early 1990s, Cameron began a book-buying scam from a fake company he set up in which he bought books that did not exist. He used public funds to make such purchases, resulting in his termination in 2004.
Established in 1967, the WRL is one of seven regional libraries in Saskatchewan, serving almost 200 communities. In 2004, the library launched a lawsuit against Cameron, claiming he stole $900,000.

Rena Bartsch took over Cameron’s position after his termination, stating, “As a librarian, we’re usually not greedy people. We really don’t do it for personal wealth. What he did is astonishing to the library community.”

Cameron, originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, has a Master of Library Science degree and has headed rural libraries in Saskatchewan since 1971.
The fraud began when Cameron set up his fake company called, “Desert Rose Books”. He then had a pseudonym of “Herbert B. Cochrane” which was the “owner” who sent out bills and ordered books. Because Cameron held the responsibility of paying the bills—and both the owner and company were fake—he didn’t really have to, and the money then went to him.

Cameron bought outdated books, filling library shelves with just about anything, as they rarely contained new releases.
Arlene Pederson, Wheatland chairwoman, states, “It wasn’t that we didn’t receive any books—we were getting books into our branches. Some of them weren’t current, trendy titles.”

Members of the executive committee began noticing inconsistencies with the invoices and as a result, delved a little deeper into Desert Rose Books.
After more suspicion, members contacted the Royal Canadian Mountain Police (RCMP) who told the library to collect and monitor all financial documents. A private investigator was hired shortly after to examine financial accounts, transactions, and invoices from Desert Rose Books. The lawsuit was then filed against Cameron.

Since 2004, Cameron has paid the library $500,000 which will be used to update the library shelves with more current titles.

Meanwhile, his lawyer Andrew Mason stresses that Cameron will not be commenting on the case until his sentencing.

However, in Cameron’s annual report, 2002, he wrote “being the executive director of a regional library system in Saskatchewan often times reminds one of Sisyphus.”

At the age of 65, Cameron will face his sentencing in a provincial court on August 27, 2008.