Overdue Books Could Bring Jail Time

Fri Nov 19,10:27 AM ET Top Stories - AP



BAY CITY, Mich. - Stacks of chronically overdue library books may soon land some readers in Bay County, Mich., more than just a 10-cent-a-day fine. Frustrated librarians are proposing a crackdown on the worst offenders that could include criminal charges and up to 90 days in jail.



"We want to go after some of the people who owe us a lot of money," Frederick J. Paffhausen, the library's system director, told The Bay City Times for a story Thursday. "We want to set an example."


Paffhausen, who took over as director in October, is asking the Bay County Library Board for permission to seek arrest warrants for offenders who ignore repeated notices. The board plans to consider the crackdown next month.


For example, one patron from Bad Axe owes $1,190 for 73 items — mainly science-fiction books — hoarded for more than a year, Paffhausen said.


Patrons keep an average of $25,000 in overdue materials out of the county's library system each year, officials said.


That costs taxpayers money, because the library often must buy second copies to replace unreturned materials, leaving less for new books, CDs and DVDs, Paffhausen said.


Currently, the library cuts off an offending patron's library privileges and sends overdue notices. Daily fines of 5 to 10 cents per item are assessed. If the material is worth $75 or more, the patron receives a form letter from the county Prosecutor's Office warning that it's a crime to keep library items.


Despite the threats, about half the offenders who receive the prosecutor's letter never return the material, librarians said. And nothing more is done.


Cardholders are allowed to check out up to 75 items, depending on the material. And the costs of missing materials can add up. Books, CDs and DVDs typically range from $10 to $25.


Library Board Chairman Michael K. Gray emphasized a crackdown would target only the "most egregious offenders.


"We're not talking about going after children," he said.


___


Information from: The Bay City Times, http://www.bc-times.com

They're going to throw the book at everyone then





boxed edit
[Edited 11/19/04 15:51pm]

73 items?

Why do they keep giving this person books if they know he doesn't return them????

i remember as a kid i simply could not find a library book i took out from school. i found it like 3 mos later stuck behind some bushes.

my mom was real bad about returning books. we had somne that were years old.

How about they just wait until it shows up on their credit report and the person can't buy a car or a house because of it? Happens all the time in my area. It's actually quite funny.

Libraries never forget you owe a book. I recall going to the public library to check out a book and they wouldn't let me because I hadn't returned a children's book I checked out back in 1991! They wanted me to pay over $50 bucks, I said "lemme go to my car" and I never returned.

JANFAN4L said:

I had that happen to me once and I hung up some bogus story about having
returned it ages ago. They said "no, computer says you still got this at
your house".

So I said "let me go and check then but I'm 99% sure I haven't got it at
home".

I drove home, put the book under my shirt, half tucked into my trousers
and went back to the library.

Went in and said "listen, you made me very upset now, I drove all the way
home and trashed my house to look for this book, but like I already told
you, I DON'T HAVE IT!!"



So I said "look, I'm gonna check right now and if I can find that book on
your shelves than you better owe me a fucking big appology because this is
next to slander, denying me the right to take books home because your pc
system is fucked up".

Walked straight past them and went in between the isles of books, put mine
quickly somewhere about 2 isles away from where it was sposed to go and
hung out for half an hour "searching" for it.

And, yes, fcuz I then "found" the book

they appologised and all, claiming the computer must have made a mistake
and that the book hadn't been recognised by the scanner or something and
that it had been there all along etc etc.

I was so proud of myself that day. I even told them that I didn't want to
take any more books because I was fed up and that I would join another
library.

god, I used to be an ass.

IstenSzek said:

scamming the public library

Some of those books available at the library are out of print and damn-near-impossible to replace. In that case, I can see where it would be important for them to get it back.

What they charge in late fees is negligible to what other similar services charge. Try returning a movie to the video store a year late...

Gosh, why would you steal books that you can just re-check out if you need more time with them? I dont get it.

I had some late library books at work once, anyway I got my purse out and I said, "how much is it?" she said, " its okay," and wiped them off the computer! I was surprised but those are one of the perks of being a teacher haha!

no library fines!

Tom said:

But you can also see why it would therefore be almost manditory for me
as a bibliophile to nick them