Approves

//also, hotlinked because youtube's servers can handle it..

The article fails to mention the length of time the books were past due.
The library says they charge .25 per diem for overdue books
However, they file for a citation after 47 days past due.
So, a $352 citation would equal the late fee for a book that's 3.8 years overdue.
A book that's worth... what $10, $20?
Even if she was 90 days past due, that hardly warrants that sort of fee being assessed.

Isn't there laws regarding late fees and such limiting maximum compensation to the actual worth of the material?

On the whole, the system of fines and citations municipalities have been imposing over the last decade reflect a systematic punitive environment being used as an overt money grab than anything to protect our society or make it better. And when the common person sees that we've become little more than uncaged prisoners by those who are charged with looking after our interests, it's only a matter of time before shiat hits the fan and the system comes crashing down.

Your tax dollars at work, people.

like having to pay $98 for Rochelle, Rochelle on vhs.

So her life got in the way for a month and a half?

Return the friggin books already.

Weaver95: rcain: Isn't there laws regarding late fees and such limiting maximum compensation to the actual worth of the material?.

if we were a society of sane and rational people, that would be the case. But this is a society where we throw people into jail for 35 years for possession of less than 5oz of cannabis. we are NOT sane or logical, and our laws and punishments reflect that fact.

Five ounces?? That's intent to distribute to someone's precious little snowflake!

FTA: Eventually, the entire citation was dropped. Still, Roberts said her concern is that citations as high as the one she received might deter people from utilizing the library.

So the library dropped the citation, anyway. And her concern about people not utilizing the library is cute but I'm sure most people will just return their books on time.

It's not like they dropped this on her after she was overdue by 24 hours and she had no warning. The article lists how many times they try to contact people and fails to mention how long she had the books. She must have had them for months to get the citation up that high.

Personal responsibility? What's that?

As a librarian, I think the fines should never exceed the cost required to replace the mateials itemsiitem.

This wouldn't have happened if she had bookflix.

You really don't want to know the fine when they discover you were eating Cheetos while reading one of their books...

Stupid blackberry. You get the point

This case is fairly dumb, but my wife (who is a librarian) tells me stories daily of the amazingly criminal library records of thieves patrons at her branch. People routinely check out DVDs and CDs and conveniently "lose" them. Mechanics who check out the Chilton manuals and never return them. People who use different addresses to create multiple cards so they can abuse the computers and print off a billion fliers for their shady business. Some people have well over $1000 in fines, but the spineless director refuses to turn people over to collection agencies or pursue them through the criminal or civil court system.

If I stole a piece of equipment from the local maintenance crews, wouldn't the city prosecute me? People make innocent mistakes and fines should be dealt within a reasonable timeline. Past a certain point, administrative fees should be assessed and the people should be turned over to collection agencies. Only in cases of outright theft like I mentioned should the full court procedure be implemented.

/Had to replace a book when I lost it in 3rd grade

"Especially in this economy, people are using the library more and more instead of buying books," Roberts said. "They're overcharging, and I had to jump through hoops."

Don't try to use the "in this economy" rational, you stupid twat. You were 47 days delinquent and you ultimately had to pay nothing. The fines aren't excessive if you never have to pay a dime.

/can I trademark "in this economy" or "in these hard/troubling/difficult times"?

As a resident of Wisconsin, I invite my fellow Americans to nuke Mequon and Ozaukee County off the map. There is probably no worse collection of asswipes in the Midwest, andf I'm surprised it took this long for their police state nonsense to make it to FARK.

Seriously, I can't tell you enough how much Mequon sucks: jackass cops, asswipe residents, it's only saving grace is that it's just a few miles from the Milwaukee ghetto. I hope it gets burned in the next riot.

How come every story about the man coming down on someone always has the folks that bring up maryjane (THC or weed) and how the man keeps them down as well?

And here I thought all of "THEM"moved to Argentina.

Why do people think that a library is any different than a movie store? In some cases, movies are less expensive than books.

Oh Noes, they're holding me personally responsible for my own actions! Whatever shall I do??

Don't check them out if you can't bring them back. It's not that hard. Since she, by her own admission, had frequent late fees, she knew how things worked. The fees should be higher than the price of the items because of the inconvenience for fellow patrons not being able to check out the items she had and for the work the city went through in trying to contact her. Maybe she can work off her fine by reading to some blind folks. Sounds like she could use some humility.

How the hell hard is it to return books to the library on time? Hell, even a week or two late and they'll usually completely forgive your fees.

Just return your books. If you think you're too good to return your books on time without paying the fees (which are wicked cheap anyway), then stay home you useless ingrates.

/librarianrage

* The materials were overdue by 47 days or more.
* The library made multiple attempts to contact her.
* She still did not return the materials.
* The library said "fark this" and reported it to the civil authorities.
* She finally responds after receiving a fine and legal notice that she was acting like an irresponsible farkwad.
* Lady is shocked, shocked that forcing the library to result to legal action because she failed to return public property for nearly two months results in a rather typically-sized fine from local civil authority.

Headline neglects to mention several critical details...like how late the books were, and that numerous attempts to contact her were made before resorting to legal action, and that the moron could have solved everything at any point with one phone call.

The libraries are worse than the mob!

and just because

Hope she's stocked up on red licorice.

Pro-tip for Farkers:

You can probably get late fees overturned by being nice to the people at the Circulation desk.

Wisconsin only has one library?

Shahai: How the hell hard is it to return books to the library on time? Hell, even a week or two late and they'll usually completely forgive your fees.

Just return your books. If you think you're too good to return your books on time without paying the fees (which are wicked cheap anyway), then stay home you useless ingrates.

/librarianrage

or wait until amnesty week and bring them in with a can of cranberry sauce

I see this fine as totally appropriate.

It seems the library has done everything possible to warn her of her overdue books including warning her about the civil fine. She chooses to keep the books however long she likes. In my opinion she is a thief and is lucky she is not being charged as such. Really, how stupid and/or lazy can you be?

"Especially in this economy, people are using the library more and more instead of buying books," Roberts said. "They're overcharging, and I had to jump through hoops."

Wrong, fatty.

I've discovered the #1 rule to avoiding fines. Are you ready for it?

Return the materials on time.

I don't see the problem. She held the books for almost 2 months over her allotted time, they gave her frequent notifications, and they finally told her we'll lower or remove it if you just come and talk about it.

As long as you don't have to bring in a third party to write the citation this system is perfect.

cmb53208: As a resident of Wisconsin, I invite my fellow Americans to nuke Mequon and Ozaukee County off the map. There is probably no worse collection of asswipes in the Midwest, andf I'm surprised it took this long for their police state nonsense to make it to FARK.

Seriously, I can't tell you enough how much Mequon sucks: jackass cops, asswipe residents, it's only saving grace is that it's just a few miles from the Milwaukee ghetto. I hope it gets burned in the next riot.

I know some pretty useless suburbanite piece of shiat up that way but they still have a step on the Flatlanders.

/They are mostly worthless though

You're doing it wrong!!!

Years ago, I took 3 math books from the IUPUI technical library to study for the first actuarial exam. I kept them almost a year. Then I needed some more books that I coud only get from a University's technical library -so I needed to use that library again.

I put the books in my briefcase, went into the library, carefully put them back on the shelf. Then I got the books I needed and went to the check out.

When they told me I had 3 books way overdue, I said, "No no. I returned those months ago. Is there some way you can check?"

He went and looked them up on the shelf, and came back and apologized.

Next time the levy vote for funding the library comes up, this will be remembered, sadly for the library system there.

RogueDriver: FTA: Eventually, the entire citation was dropped. Still, Roberts said her concern is that citations as high as the one she received might deter people from utilizing the library.

So the library dropped the citation, anyway. And her concern about people not utilizing the library is cute but I'm sure most people will just return their books on time.

It's not like they dropped this on her after she was overdue by 24 hours and she had no warning. The article lists how many times they try to contact people and fails to mention how long she had the books. She must have had them for months to get the citation up that high.

Personal responsibility? What's that?

She's concerned about people using the library - but doesn't think that hanging onto a book for months is a problem? She apparently isn't too worried about anyone who might want to check those books out but can't because she's too lazy to bother returning them.

I bet she'd throw a fit if she tried to check something out and it wasn't available.

ignite ice: Wisconsin only has one library?

That's all they need.

Little.Alex: I put the books in my briefcase, went into the library, carefully put them back on the shelf. Then I got the books I needed and went to the check out.

Um... aren't you supposed to leave books in a designated "check-in" area instead of reshelving them yourself? At least that's how it was in every library I've ever been in..

TsukasaK: Little.Alex: I put the books in my briefcase, went into the library, carefully put them back on the shelf. Then I got the books I needed and went to the check out.

Um... aren't you supposed to leave books in a designated "check-in" area instead of reshelving them yourself? At least that's how it was in every library I've ever been in..

You seem to be missing out on the fiendish in-trick-a-sies of the plan. By sneaking the books back in (remember, they were demagnetized so that you could take them out) you can act innocent and plead that perhaps they were refiled without the computer knowing. One never knows when there might be a computer glitch. Or perhaps a miskeyed result. At any rate, there the books are, right where they belong.

/had silently nodded upon seeing the plan

I have to say public libraries are a waste of my tax dollars. I visited a local library last night and was amazed at how elaborate the furnishings were while being filled with complete and utter crap.

I saw a biography of Eric Clapton, a book about The Clash, a book telling me to be nice to my cat and 60% of the floor space devoted to Stephen King and other fiction. They had Clerks on DVD. Why the fark are my tax dollars going to fund this shiat?

Weaver95: rcain: Isn't there laws regarding late fees and such limiting maximum compensation to the actual worth of the material?.

if we were a society of sane and rational people, that would be the case. But this is a society where we throw people into jail for 35 years for possession of less than 5oz of cannabis. we are NOT sane or logical, and our laws and punishments reflect that fact.

Ummm- You both might want to read all the way down to this part before unleashing any righteous indignation

Bendix also mentioned that many times citations can be lowered if a patron meets with library staff to discuss the issue. Roberts met with library employees and negotiated a lowered citation of $153. Eventually, the entire citation was dropped. Still, Roberts said her concern is that citations as high as the one she received might deter people from utilizing the library.

rcain: The article fails to mention the length of time the books were past due.
The library says they charge .25 per diem for overdue books
However, they file for a citation after 47 days past due.
So, a $352 citation would equal the late fee for a book that's 3.8 years overdue.
A book that's worth... what $10, $20?
Even if she was 90 days past due, that hardly warrants that sort of fee being assessed.

Isn't there laws regarding late fees and such limiting maximum compensation to the actual worth of the material?

On the whole, the system of fines and citations municipalities have been imposing over the last decade reflect a systematic punitive environment being used as an overt money grab than anything to protect our society or make it better. And when the common person sees that we've become little more than uncaged prisoners by those who are charged with looking after our interests, it's only a matter of time before shiat hits the fan and the system comes crashing down.


The biggest problem is people will call you tinfoil-hat crazy for saying this even though we can all see it happening

Fano: TsukasaK: Little.Alex: I put the books in my briefcase, went into the library, carefully put them back on the shelf. Then I got the books I needed and went to the check out.

Um... aren't you supposed to leave books in a designated "check-in" area instead of reshelving them yourself? At least that's how it was in every library I've ever been in..

You seem to be missing out on the fiendish in-trick-a-sies of the plan. By sneaking the books back in (remember, they were demagnetized so that you could take them out) you can act innocent and plead that perhaps they were refiled without the computer knowing. One never knows when there might be a computer glitch. Or perhaps a miskeyed result. At any rate, there the books are, right where they belong.

/had silently nodded upon seeing the plan

(a) Leaving books in book-return.
Result; them saying, "You owe us $150!"

or

2. Sneakfully putting books back on shelf.
Result; me saying, "Well we all make mistakes, but don't let it happen again."

I like my way better.

Hey people before getting outraged, you should stop and figure out what's actually going on.

The most important bit of information in the article, as some have mentioned already, is that the entire fine was dropped. Obviously, they didn't want the money that badly, they just wanted her attention and the books returned.

Citations as high as the one she received aren't meant to deter people from utilizing the library; they are meant to deter people from returning books extremely late.

Glad to know some government somewhere thinks books are important.