I returned material to the library yesterday that was 24 & 25 years overdue.

[IdaBriggs]

One was a book checked out in 1983 that I had "lost" (and paid for long ago), and the other was some material about "Endangered Species" from 1977 that I had checked out in 1982. It was totally embarrassing, but both items were in excellent condition, and my conscience is now clear about it.

The librarian was really nice about it. She smiled very sweetly, and told me these were officially the "most overdue" she had ever seen! I'm glad I 'fessed up and compensated them for the items a long time ago -- I don't even want to THINK about how bad the fines would have gotten!

:spank:

[MrCoffee]

1. if you paid for them already, aren't they yours?

[IdaBriggs]

3. I could have looked at them that way, but in my head they were still

'library books' that kept getting put in a "must deal with it later" pile. (I emptied out my attic this summer, and found boxes we hadn't touched since we moved in eleven years ago!)

I kind of feel like the money I gave to the library was a pittance for the inconvenience I caused everyone. Yes, they were able to replace the material with it, but still...

[Sequoia]

2. Where were they?

[IdaBriggs]

9. In boxes in my attic that hadn't been gone through since we moved in

eleven years ago. I think the "endangered species" material was from a box that was even older, but the "Mists of Avalon" book by Marian Zimmer Bradley was in a "deal with it later" box that got shoved up there when we moved in. I now have a tub of "other" stuff that I want to get taken to its rightful owners, including, but not limited to a) some books I borrowed from friends, b) some tapes I borrowed from someone else; c) some "coupon books" from when we did the Wedding CDs, etc.

One of the coolest things in the "tub of deal with it" is a manila envelope labeled with my sister's name, and the words "Varsity Letter, Varsity Certificate." I called her about it yesterday, and she told me to throw it away. I refused, told her she could throw it away herself, and opened it to share it with her -- only to learn it was filled with some personal writings of my father from back in 1972!!! We're both excited about it, and I'll be making copies before giving it to her tonight.

:)

[Sequoia]

18. Great.

[cobalt1999]

4. The endangered species book would have been interesting now.

I wonder how many of the 1977 endangered species are now extinct.

[Hugin]

8. They may not have been if Ida had... returned... the... book! n/t

[IdaBriggs]

12. Great -- now I've got GUILT for all of the Endangered Animals!

And I deserve it, too! I am responsible!!!

:spank:

[Hugin]

17. and I shall weep for all of the Cape Buffalo...

Who's story wasn't told. :cry:

[IdaBriggs]

11. The endangered species stuff was a manilla envelope filled with

articles and stuff that was clipped from different sources. I figured out what it was, and didn't look any closer, but now I'm kicking myself for not reading it first (again?)!

[KitchenWitch]

15. Now you are going to have to clean Al Gore's kitchen with a toothbrush

to do penance!

j/k!

[bikebloke]

5. School library

In high school, the school library lost a book and I was the last person to check it out. I had returned it. They wouldn't let me move up to Grade 12 at term's end unless I paid for it. So I paid. The next school year I was summoned to the library. They found the book they lost, saying since I paid for it, it was mine.

Dingos.

[IdaBriggs]

13. Total dingos. Did you donate it back to them? nt

[bikebloke]

20. Books are sort of sacred to me

Even back when I was a dumb kid. I kept it. It was the play, A Man for All Seasons. Though it may have been tossed by a parent I stopped living with abruptly back then.

[Hugin]

6. *gasp* Endangered Species! Endangered Species!

For crying out loud! If you're going to deprive the public at large from access to media... MAKE IT AN ANN COULTER
BOOK (or other RW pulp)!

I am shocked.


:rofl:

[ghostsofgiants]

7. You know that little stamp that says Waterford Public Library?

Well that may not mean anything to you but that means a lot to me, one whole hell of a lot. Sure, go ahead, laugh if you want to. I've seen your type before, flashy, makin' the scene, flaunting convention. Yeah, I know what you're thinking: "What's this guy making such a big stink about old library books?" Well let me give you a hint, junior. Maybe we can live without libraries, people like you and me. Maybe. Sure, we're too old to change the world. But what about that kid, sitting down opening a book, right now, in a branch of the local library, and finding drawings of pee-pees and wee-wees in The Cat in the Hat and The Five Chinese Brothers. Doesn't he deserve better? Look, if you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you better think again. This is about that kid's right to read a book without getting his mind warped. Or, maybe that turns you on, IdaBriggs. Maybe that's how you get your kicks, you and your good-time buddies. Well I got a flash for you, joy-boy: Party time is over.

[MrCoffee]

10. .

:patriot: :applause:

[IdaBriggs]

14. HOW did you know it was a Waterford Public Library Book?

WOW, you are GOOD! (Or you looked at my profile, but I could have moved since then...)

Nice reference, by the way. But you are right; I was wrong to have not been more responsible with my library usage.

(hangs head in shame)

[ghostsofgiants]

16. Haha, I just use whatever information is available to me.

:P

It was the first thing that came to my head though, haha.

[BlueIris]

19. Jeez, and I thought the late fees I paid on some DVDs I took back yesterday were bad ($17.98).

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. I can beat that...

I recently discovered an old LP record that I checked out of the St. Paul Public Library *in 1965* and apparently lost and/or forgot about. Once in awhile they have an "amnesty" day where you can return overdue stuff without paying late fines. Maybe I'll wait for one of those.

[Redstone]

22. I have you beat by a MILE! I have a book titled "Birds in Your BackYard" that was due

back to the Lunenburg, VT library in March, 1962.

Redstone

[hisownpetard]

23. So - are the birds still in your backyard, too?