Return Library Books or Else, Frustrated Towns "Resort" to Arresting Patrons
Here's some wonderful (NOT) publicity for public libraries.
It's a three page original article from ABC News about library users having "legal issues" because of overdue materials. It talks about the Aaron Henson story from a week or so ago and others.
Towns across the county, frustrated with trying to replace wayward materials on a shoestring budget, have turned to issuing citations, court appearances, even reporting the offending library patron to their credit bureaus.
Is this a growing trend or a set of isolated incidents written about at the same time? Should library organizations, on both the national and state level, get involved? We wonder how these types of situations are handled in other countries? Are warrants issued and arrests made? Can we learn from others?
In Littleton, CO where Aaron Henson resides, the court and police department have been told not to issue ANY summons relating to materials that have not been returned. Plus, the city council is researching a revision to the policy. Finally, the city refunded the $460 in arrest costs to Henson and took the arrest off of his record.
Littleton is not the only city that resorts to handcuffs to get its overdue library materials back. Similar arrests and warrants have been reported in Washington state, Iowa and Texas.
The article also tells the story of Heidi Dalibor. In 2008 this Garfton, WI resident went to jail over two books that were not returned.
Finally,
The blase attitude some have toward returning library books in a timely fashion -- or at all -- can cost libraries thousands of dollars a year in lost inventory.
Unique Management Services doesn't issue arrest warrants, but the Jefferson, Ind., company contracts with about 1,500 libraries across the country to go after patrons who ignore the library's pleas to return materials.
The FreePint Family is a family of resources to help information workers be more effective, raise the value of information in their organisations and contribute to success.
'FreePint... provides most of my professional development because it won't come through work and [other resources] just don't cut it.'
FUMSI Forum: Do you have a research question? Post it to the FUMSI Forum, where professionals share Q&A and useful tips on how to Find, Use, Manage and Share Information. It's free.
FreePint Shop:
VIP LiveWire:
