accountability, or, the day i paid my overdue fines

Our county library offers discussion sets of books that I took advantage of last fall. I checked out 30 copies of Rocket Boys for my nonfiction class for a month. Well, I went a little over that month, and instead of a usual grace period before they start sticking the fines on you, they started immediately. And, one of my students withdrew in the middle of the quarter and took the book with him, never to be returned.

Which brings me to today. Now, let it be known, that since this retched day, I have checked out many, MANY books from said library system. Only today, the sweet little old lady informs me that I have a fine of $109, and that she technically shouldn't let me check any books out. Doh! But, if I wanted, I could talk to a lady in an olive business suit, who might be able to "help me in my situation." It was all very Scarlet Letter.

I learned from Olive Suit Lady that the cost of the replacement book was $10. So in my head, I'm thinking, she'll waive the late fees and charge me the $10, and I'll be on my way. Or, the exact opposite happened. She waived the $10, which left me with $96 in fines. What the!? She must have seen the horror on my face and asked me if I would pay half and call it a day. I accepted her offer (and had I really been thinking, I should have bargained her down to $35). So I spent $45 at the library today. Which is not what I was planning to do.

Which brought me to this thought: why do we even have library fines? In my particular case, nobody was waiting for that set of books. I wasn't burdening anyone. In fact, I feel pretty confident in saying that I am the only person who has checked those books out in at least 18 months. Who was it bothering that they were a few days late? So why have these fines?

In my opinion, the greater burden is having the one book missing. I would have gladly paid the $10 to replace the book. Isn't that where the need would be? But no, even the public library is a gold digger. Because for my $45, they could replace my lost book, and by 3 and a half more books! I know that times are tough, and libraries are hurting for money, but this just seemed so filthy.

I guess the irony of the whole situation is that the public library is currently in the throws of their membership drive. One of the levels one can join at is $45, and for that, a pledger would receive a reusable tote bag. Or, in my situation, you could just not return books, and receive NO reusable tote bag.

At some basic level, I always knew that overdue fines were necessary. They keep you accountable, and make you return books on time. And believe you me, I will now make sure to return my books on time, or at least offer to become a Friend of the Library. And get my damned reusable tote.