OH MY! This could be ME going to jail!!!

[HollyinNNV]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0821081books1.html

I love the pic!
Holly
PS-Tell me I'm not the only one who identifies with this criminal!

[OhM]

I'm right there with you!:D

[Parrothead]

Oh, gee-z. I gotta get those books back down river!

[Melinda]

I love how she's got a big smile in the mugshot :)

[Amy in Orlando]

I call the top bunk in the cell!

[Pencil Pusher]

Ok, I know this is supposed to be funny, but...if you read the overdue library thread a while back, you'll remember I was crowned Queen of Overdue Books. Or Queen of Library Fines, at least. Archduke? Something big anyway.

Here's the way I see it. If you fail to return something or have a fine or something, they cut you off. No more books until you pay. Right?

To pursue you w/ a collection agency is awful, but...fair. (Really, *really* awful.)

To arrest the perp? Well...how is that different from debtors' prison? And wasn't that one of the *basic* things our country was founded *against*?

Not that I'm an advocate of library abuse. People should return their books. On time. Pay fines. Etc. And since moving here a yr ago, I've paid less than $2 in fines. I've been good. I'm reformed.

But my dad should never have been able to scare *me* w/ stories like this one. (He did. He even liked to surprise visit me & pretend to be the police. :glare:) I don't even speed. (Although, in all fairness, I did go 5-10 m over back in my crazy days of late books & evading the library & my dad.)

I think we should hire this girl a good lawyer! Although, I realize, the case would have a hard time, due to the laughter in the courtroom. But you should know: I. am. serious.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :patriot:

[Mama Lynx]

You see, after we moved, I unpacked THREE books from the library in Michigan. Um, oops. The kids helped me pack, you see. Argh.

Of course, one of those has already been lost again. Argh.

I can't decide whether to just pay them for the books, or ship them back. If I called them and explained the moving debacle, would they forgive the fines? Argh. I am really broke right now, too.

Collection agencies? Arrests? That is insane. Deny borrowing privileges. With the fines they rake in, that *must* cover the book costs. My new local library charges 25 cents per day, per book. Ouch. But they'll still let you keep borrowing until you have $25 in fines.

[Crissy]

Over two books?! That's insane.

Oh, how I love my library system. After a while they'd just consider the books lost and get on with life.
And in the end I'd only be responsible for the cost of the books, not the enormous fine AND the books. :001_huh:

[BlueGator]

Freaky!!!!!

That picture of that sweet girl gave me chills.

This is me :auto: driving to the libery..... sorry, I didn't mean it.......

[gardening momma]

And in the end I'd only be responsible for the cost of the books, not the enormous fine AND the books. :001_huh:
I had a book very overdue once, so much that they turned it over to a collection agency. I had to pay the overdue fine plus a fee to the collection agency. I would have had to pay for the book if I didn't return it. Then I don't think I would have paid both the overdue fine and the fee for the book (but I can't remember). I haven't let things get out of control like that again. I just recently had 29 books overdue one day and paid $2.90 total (10 cents/day). I figure that's still a lot cheaper than going to the bookstore!

[BlueGator]

I think we should hire this girl a good lawyer! Although, I realize, the case would have a hard time, due to the laughter in the courtroom. But you should know: I. am. serious.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :patriot:

I think she could be the WTM poster child and we could help other Library Felons.

There but for the grace of God go I.

[sleepy]

I cannot believe they arrested her for overdue library books! Crazy! :ohmy:

[WTMCassandra]

Sheesh! Thanks for sharing the link. That really does strike fear into the homeschooler's heart.

[dragons in the flower bed]

Here's the way I see it. If you fail to return something or have a fine or something, they cut you off. No more books until you pay. Right?
To pursue you w/ a collection agency is awful, but...fair. (Really, *really* awful.)
To arrest the perp? Well...how is that different from debtors' prison? And wasn't that one of the *basic* things our country was founded *against*?
Not that I'm an advocate of library abuse. People should return their books. On time. Pay fines. Etc. And since moving here a yr ago, I've paid less than $2 in fines. I've been good. I'm reformed.

When they arrest me, I'm using my phone call to hire *you*.

[StacyinKS]

I think I have 3 overdue!! Yikes!

[dragons in the flower bed]

Sheesh! Thanks for sharing the link. That really does strike fear into the homeschooler's heart.

Maybe this will convince DP to return SOTW2 audiobook to the library. *I* requested that the library buy it. Then this man, whom I dearly love, took it out (on his own card! when I wasn't even at the library! the first one to check it out!), brought it into his office to listen, and lost it somewhere in there. We think it may have accidentally been sent to auction. :001_huh: We're both afraid to admit what happened to the librarians. DP hasn't been back there since.

[Jean in Newcastle]

In high school I lived for one year in a small town in Michigan. I borrowed a book from the library. Apparently I returned it late. Five years later I returned to the same small town to visit some friends. The librarian saw me on the street and came over to remind me to pay my fine. It was 50 cents (fortunately they didn't charge me interest!)

[Tarheel Heather]

I'll be taking ours back tomorrow!

[sdWTMer]

That's funny and yet not for the poor girl.

Anyway, did anybody else think about "Bookman" (http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=_zePQavforA) on Seinfeld?

[Michelle in TX]

I love how she's got a big smile in the mugshot :)

:iagree: I just can't believe she has such a big smile! I would be so embaressed!

[3blessingmom]

I'm in trouble!!!

I have two books...well *I* don't have them....I turned them in, and the library says I have them:glare: One book, I even took to the counter, told the librarian that my dd took off the sticker....and evidently she didn't take the time to clear it off my account (Grrrr!) The other book I returned a long time ago, but I am too non-confrontational to go to the library and ask about it:001_huh:

I have to go soon, we need books for ds! "I'M INNOCENT, I TELL YOU - INNOCENT!!!":tongue_smilie:

[keroro]

What a complete waste of the judicial systems resources. We can't keep sex offenders in prison but we can arrest people for overdue library books? I see this as nothing more than an egregious abuse of power by the police department and city. Absolutely unbelievable that this would happen in America.

[Mom to Aly]

I LOVE that she has that big grin on her face! And, yes, it could be me! I don't do the library AT ALL! Simply because, 5 years ago, when Hurricane Isabel flooded our house, we were out for four months, not allowed to go back in at all. I contacted the library, told them the situation, they said fine, gave me in writing I would have no fines, but, in the meantime, put ON MY (perfect at the time) CREDIT REPORT, that I had nearly $300 in overdue fines and book charges for 6 books!!! (my xh has since destroyed my credit) When I found this out, I took my letter and report to them, and they refused to do anything about it. So I did nothing either.

They just acted like it was too bad, and it made me soooo mad! So I never returned the books, and I can't get a library card. Which I think is fine. But jail??? Please!

[jmgconner]

What a complete waste of the judicial systems resources. We can't keep sex offenders in prison but we can arrest people for overdue library books? I see this as nothing more than an egregious abuse of power by the police department and city. Absolutely unbelievable that this would happen in America.

:iagree:

[gandpsmommy]

This is so, so wrong! I grew up in a town where there are no library fines, ever! There is a sign next to the return box that says something like "Drop it all in. There are no fines, ever. Really!" We lived in this town until two years ago. And I was so spoiled.

When we moved here, where the library is all business and seems more like a commercial center than the artsy, cultural, academic, kid-friendly one to which we were so fondly accustomed, it really was a shock to my system! They charge fines for everything. You can't check out items if your fines are over $2.00, until you've paid them down to at least $1.99. At $20.00, they send you to a collection agency! This has never happened to me, but I did manage to accrue $16.00 in fines over the summer! I decided to stop using my card for awhile and just check books out on the children's cards until I pay it off, little by little.

I know, I should just be responsible and keep track of when they're due, but still I think it's wrong.

[unsinkable]

If we are irrepsonsible with library materials, we are only hurting ourselves. Tax money pays for our libraries.

That being said, I will provide sanctuary to library felons. :001_smile:

[beansprouts]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0821081books1.html

I love the pic!
Holly
PS-Tell me I'm not the only one who identifies with this criminal!

She looks like she is laughing.

Is this a real story?

[beansprouts]

Here's the way I see it. If you fail to return something or have a fine or something, they cut you off. No more books until you pay. Right?



The story is absurd. I think it is just plain wrong for fines to exceed the cost of replacing the overdue materials.

[beansprouts]

I LOVE that she has that big grin on her face! And, yes, it could be me! I don't do the library AT ALL! Simply because, 5 years ago, when Hurricane Isabel flooded our house, we were out for four months, not allowed to go back in at all. I contacted the library, told them the situation, they said fine, gave me in writing I would have no fines, but, in the meantime, put ON MY (perfect at the time) CREDIT REPORT, that I had nearly $300 in overdue fines and book charges for 6 books!!! (my xh has since destroyed my credit) When I found this out, I took my letter and report to them, and they refused to do anything about it. So I did nothing either.

They just acted like it was too bad, and it made me soooo mad! So I never returned the books, and I can't get a library card. Which I think is fine. But jail??? Please!


That is HORRIBLE!!

[Amy in NH]

Not that I'm an advocate of library abuse. People should return their books. On time. Pay fines. Etc.

See, now that's where I think most library policy is misguided. If you are truly using a book, and no-one else wants to borrow it, then I don't think there should be a time limit. Okay, maybe a year to renew it. But I have taken out books that haven't been borrowed by anyone else since 1996, and I happen to think it is ridiculous that they "need it back" in two weeks or I have to pay a fine.

The librarian in the town I just moved from happened to agree with me (she voiced it). It was wonderful!

[dirty ethel rackham]

I just had to pay a $50 fine at the library because they insist that they do not have the book that I SAW my son put into the slot!. They can't find the book and I have no documentation that I returned it. They wouldn't let me check out anything else because my fine had gone too high. AARRRGGGHHH! After two times in a row where they failed to check in a book that we returned, we now bring our entire stack to a librarian to check while we wait. It is a hassle, but I am making sure that I am getting my $50 worth!!!

Good thing I don't live where she does or that would be my mug shot!!

[Pencil Pusher]

:iagree: I just can't believe she has such a big smile! I would be so embaressed!

Nah. You know the person holding the camera on the other end was laughing so hard they were crying. And probably apologizing to the poor girl.

"I know this is ridiculous. I"m sorry. They made me do it...."

And she's saying, "Oh, that's fine. At least you gave me time to put my make-up on. Because I'm *totally* putting this on my MySpace page! Nobody will believe it...."

[Pencil Pusher]

You see, after we moved, I unpacked THREE books from the library in Michigan. Um, oops. The kids helped me pack, you see. Argh.

Of course, one of those has already been lost again. Argh.

BTDT.

Hint: DON"T hold the books ransom. I'm just sayin'.....

[sweetbaby]

Bless her heart! And just look at the smile on her face. The poor girl is in shock over this. I don't blame her.

[Chris in VA]

What a ridiculous waste of police resources. Oh wait--someone said that already.

When asked if I support my local library, I have to respond yes--I pay regularly for fines. Sigh.

I had over $50 in fines recently, but I often borrow from several libraries--as long as they are in the county, you can return any book at any library. I swear they've lost at least 3 things, then charged me. I talked with the librarian at our regional recently, and they took off two of the books/dvd's I supposedly lost. My fine was lowered enough so that I could check out books again.

I love our library system! But sending someone to jail is just plain stupid imo.

[keroro]

This story and the abuse of power it describes reminded me of an article on freedom by a popular author that I read some time ago (I definitely don't think everyone will agree with it but it does contain some valid arguments):

http://grrm.livejournal.com/6138.html