6 ms·
Oh gosh, I wonder what the literal and naive fine would have been. I too would have returned in anonymously.
by kleer001 5y ago
Oh gosh, I wonder what the literal and naive fine would have been.
I too would have returned in anonymously.
- boomboomsubban 5y agoThey mention the fine based on when the book was checked out would be over $800, but under current rules would be capped at price of acquisition of the book or $1.50.
- pavon 5y agoActually the article says late fees were eliminated entirely in 2019. I wonder if news surrounding that factored into the book being returned, or if it was just coincidence.
- panda88888 5y agoI assume the price is not inflation adjusted?
- boomboomsubban 5y agoBoth are the current amount they would pay based on the late fee systems. So no?
- OJFord 5y agoThat's a somewhat naïvely correct cap, seems to me it should be higher, to impose a bit of a penalty and discourage 'try before you buy'. Also is that acquisition cost the same as it is to the borrower anyway?
- boomboomsubban 5y agoDoubt it, $1.50 then would be around $40.
- wumpus 5y agoPeople who've studied whether public libraries should have fines at all appear to mostly conclude that no, they shouldn't, because it causes poor people to avoid checking out books. That's why libraries have gradually switched from fines to fines forgiven to not having fines at all. Blockbuster used to make all of their profits from late fees. Public libraries have a purpose of encouraging reading.
- otherme123 5y agoThey have to come with another method then. I'm interested in a book that got published this year, and my local library has it, but it's "missing or not returned". How come? I had to register my address, my phone, my email and my national ID to get the library card. They know exactly who has the book, they could reach him by phone and have a talk "please, return the book ASAP without late fee or we are sending someone to your house to collect it and fine you". I'm all in for encourage reading. Not so much for encouraging stealing of public property.
- kleer001 5y agoYup, that sucks. It's the Tragedy of the commons. And IFAIK there's no way to solve it without charging for everything.
- ocdtrekkie 5y agoIt's plausible this is actually a good outcome for the library in many cases: They can buy a new book at the loss of a worn one. Depending on the popularity of the book, they might rather spend it on another book anyways. Modern libraries would need to include the prep cost in the acquisition cost though, which puts it above retail. Libraries often pay to have new books pre-catalogued, barcoded, and covered.
- oh_sigh 5y agoNone, because the borrower has almost certainly been dead for a long time.