TooDaze Stoopid News, Part 3
on 01/06/2012 at 10:43 AM
I have to say...I may agree with the library’s action. Now, I don’t have all the facts, so depending on what these specific facts are, I could change my mind. For instance, if this was the library’s first attempt at getting the book back, then shame on them. If the cops acted as if they were serving a writ of execution, then shame on the cops.
However, if the library did send letters and/or make phone calls that have been ignored, then what else could they do? Who else should they have sent to try and ask about the overdue books. It appears that the girl or her parents did not put a high priority on returning the book and did not seem to care that someone at the library had the duty to try and get the book back.
It sounds like the cop was decent and simply went to the home to inform them of the overdue book and the fact the library would like to have them back. I am sure that some other person would enjoy the opportunity to check these books out as well. As a former cop of a small city, it is not uncommon to have to take on the task of errand boy for other city agencies. Just because a cop was sent does not mean it became a criminal matter. In fact, who better to send then a cop. He has a company car and in between calls, he as the time to do it and of course, he is out and about in the city. To me, this sounds no different than if the town was Mayberry and Sheriff Andy stopped by as a favor to the librarian to ask for the books back. Again, I am assuming some facts and could be swayed if I am assuming incorrectly.
As for the child being upset and crying...Well to damn bad. Maybe if she acted like a grownup and took responsibility for her actions and returned them, this would not have happened. Same for the parents. They should have taught their child better manners or in the very least, took the books back to the library themselves. The library should not have to go through such a huge hassle to get its books back. This girl was old enough to check them out, she should have returned them as well.
I was in kindergarten when I got my first library card and I thought it was cool as heck that I could take any book home I wanted for up to a week (and longer if I asked) for FREE. I remember the librarian telling me that if I was late twice, she would tell me about it and after the third time, I would have my library privilege suspended for a time. Well, that sounded fair to me and I valued that trust and at 5 years old, I learned how the system worked. This girl should have learned that same lesson but she didn’t and now she is upset that someone called her out for her lack of responsibility and how dare they make her feel sad about her own lack of respect for others.
I see nothing wrong. Again, I could be wrong.
SD - if the books were a year or so overdue, then I’d agree with you completely, although many libraries have some kind of edict (that they can enforce by taking an imprint of your credit card perhaps) that if a book is X months overdue then you’re buying them a new copy.
The parent is denying that any contact was made by the library, and the reporter only mentions that the books were months overdue. Duh, how many? 2? 16? 47? After all, the kid is only 5, so I’m guessing we’re talking about 12 or less, probably?
Your view is entirely supportable, and could have been fairly eliminated had the journalist actually done some legwork and covered the other side of the story, ascertaining whether the library had made repeated efforts and had a paper trail of them to show, and telling us his finding that they hadn’t. Then this story would be some bit of overbearing Big Brotherism. But we don’t know that from what was written. All this story shows us is that all government is connected and will work together to enforce its rules.
With any luck, the kid will never read again, and become a Welfare Queen at 15, so the left can lay the entire failure of her life on this one traumatic brush with jackbooted authority.
Or she and her parents can get their ducks in a row and stop being idiots.
(a preemptive response to NJY)
yes, it’s a “tsk”. A chore like this is too minor to be a “task”.
sdkar,
I agree with you.
My wife works in a public library and the way many patrons treat the books is awful. A lot of people who are interested in certain hobbies, crafts or projects and find an article in a library book think nothing of tearing the article pages out and leaving the book.
Some self appointed censors use a black felt pen to darken out words or phrases , which offend them.
AND,
There are those who refuse to return overdue books because they feel they OWN them because they pay taxes.
I’d toss them in jail for 6-months and forbid them any reading material while they’re there.
"Cowardice”? I’d say they were acting like Faggots!
Drew,
I don’t comprehend your message.
Could you explain/expand your “preemptive response”?
Thanks.
sdkar,
I disagree. Or maybe not. Read on…
When I married my wife, her oldest son was 18 and living on his own. However, while he was still in school, he’d checked out several videos (VHS at the time) and had SOLD them.
The police were not sent. We did get a letter from the library charging us $240 for three videos I could buy for a total of $39 + tax.
I bought the videos and contacted the head of the library. While he stated that “we normally don’t do this” I pointed out that he could accept the NEW videos or try to survive the resulting bad publicity once I called the local TV news. He accepted them and cleared my step-son’s–and my wife’s–accounts.
My point: no need to send police. Send a letter to the child’s mother. However…
I’m a little concerned about a 5-yr-old having a library card anyway. How many 5-yr-olds do you know that can read? I didn’t get my first library card until I was eight. By then I’d proved I could read. I was devouring my Mom’s collection of Reader’s Digest Condensed Books. She was running out of books to feed me. In desperation she threw her HP Lovecraft, Tolkien, Frank Herbert, Lord Dunsany, and RA Heinlein books at me. I read those and said ‘MORE!’.
I smell a rat. Maybe this mother sold the books she’d checked out on her daughter’s account?
01/07/2012 at 04:25 AM
