Drat- I've been burned by the library again! Curse those exorbitant $1.25 per day late fees on movies. Well, it's actually a conundrum of my own making, but yet again I owe the library $10 in fees and can't check out books until I cough up the cash. I feel so virtuous by renting movies at the library for free, but then they get you on the back end. I got an overdue notice today saying three movies were due...three days ago. That's information that would have been useful...THREE DAYS AGO!! Gotta keep a closer eye on these things. In the fees I've paid lately, I could have bought the movies myself.
On a related note regarding library Nazis, I returned a book that got a little chocolate milk spilled on it. Not enough to render it unreadable, by any stretch of the imagination. Not two minutes after I had slipped the book back into the return slot, I heard my name called over the library intercom. I went to the front and was promptly informed that they could not accept this book and I had to buy it from them at the full cover price. I quickly offered to get a copy off the Internet for much cheaper, but they said it wouldn't be archival library quality. Huh? The exact same copy? They probably get them off Amazon.com as well. So $17 later I own a copy of a book I didn't even like enough to read when I checked it out. Sigh... Don't get me wrong, I love the library, but lately it seems we have a love/hate relationship.
What's your library story? Are you a library junkie or would you prefer to just go to the bookstore and get the book yourself and not deal with the hassle of overdue fees, waiting lists, etc.?
11 comments:
We paid $23 dollars for a VERY old copy of the Wizard of Oz because the Ashman tore a corner off of a page. I found the exact same copy on half.com for $7 dollars. LAME. I do think I need to be responsible for the tiny destroyer's actions but that was a little much.
i've heard the gazdiks know some crazy thing about reading off your dues at the library. apparently you can go in and tell them you are going to read off your dues and they take money off depending how much time you read! you should ask them about it. i hate library fees too! such a pain.
You should try the Dublin librarians!! They are very nice and understanding that things happen. The kids I nanny ripped some books this spring. After we went to storytime I took the book up to the librarian and explained that we ripped it and asked how much I needed to pay. He just said- Thanks for your honesty. We will just tape it and you don't need to worry about it. Glad the kids enjoy the library! This has happened twice. So we are still in a love-love relationship with the library.
I was going to do the same at the Hilliard branch today- for a book William just ripped- since I don't go out to the Dublin one anymore- but I forgot and just put it in the return slot. After reading your thing I tried to call them, but it was too close to closing time. I wonder if I'll get a phone call??
A note about reading off your fines- the fine hast to be at least $10. And then it's like $0.80/hr I think. FYI.
i don't get DVDs from the library for that VERY reason, but even still, i never can keep track of all the books my girls have out, so i'm always racking up 60 cents here and 80 cents there and before i know it, i owe $20! it makes me so mad that i don't keep track better! (but i much prefer borrowing books than buying them at the bookstore!)
but hey, better an overdue movie than an overdue BABY, right?
I gave up on CDs and DVDs from the library because of the fees--they only let you check them out for a week at a time, and I can never remember to renew when I should. Joined Netflix instead. Our library has been kind to us with book damage, though--mostly kid inflicted!
I am terrible at remembering to return my books on time. I wonder how much money the library has made off of me, if I had to guess I'd say it is in the hundreds :/ Yikes!
Sorry about your library woes. I, too, have had that trouble. Putting a "return library books" note in my Palm (or phone or on the calendar) three days before they're due has helped lots, but you have to do it immediately. That gives me two days to forget before the fines start adding up. :)
How about some pictures of little Lucy?
Is there an option to sign up for email notices? Our city library has it and it saves my wallet by sending my emails a few days before things are due.
Been there, and (now I try to hide my library fees by paying cash) Then I don't have fess up to Steve and just pretend it wasn't there. :) I also have to ban myself from letting the kids get anything that only has a 7 day check out, like movies, or backpacks. :)
We love the library too much to boycott. And I'm glad my kids are learning to love being there and experiencing new books.
Cutest pictures of Lucy!
Such entitlement! I can only wish there were public libraries here, in either language. Count your blessings, sister.
I currently owe $14 to our little library! It's those dang movies....
Amazon is my new favorite book store!
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