# Arrested for overdue library book **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907 "2013-11-02T03:57:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/201 "2013-11-09T18:59:22Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Unless one wishes to say “poor” equals “stupid, intentional thief”, etc., whining about how actually enforcing laws and recovering taxpayer property is an undue burden on “the poor” reads more like “there shouldn’t be any laws or property rights, people should just be able to do what they want and take what they want with no regard for anyone else”. Yes, you have perfectly encapsulated my point. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/202 "2013-11-09T19:15:12Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Yes, you have perfectly encapsulated my point. Thank you. Just so I’m clear, you really don’t think the owner of an item has any right to get it back when it’s lent out? You believe “the poor” are either too stupid to return borrowed materials or too dishonest to be trusted to do so? Wow, WHO is belittling “the poor” again? And would YOU enjoy having people just waltz in, grab belongings that you worked to pay for, and keep those items as long as they please (apparent intent being to keep it permanently) without your permission? And just how are libraries supposed to be useful to the community, especially those who can’t afford to just buy books (& etc.), if they can’t enforce such basics as getting materials back? Stealing library materials is theft from the taxpaying community as a whole, and harms EVERYONE who wanted/needed the stolen item, plus people who wanted/needed an item that could not be purchased because a stolen item had to be replaced. If you really believe that there’s no such thing as property rights, how about you put your worldly goods where your mouth is and throw open YOUR doors to the public and invite them to take anything they want and keep it as long as they want, regardless of any other need for it. Not willing to do that? Then it’s hypocritical of you to expect the taxpayers who fund the library to do so with library materials they’re paying for out of the money they work for. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/203 "2013-11-09T19:19:20Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > I can’t cover everyone, but I would not have hesitated to give up $20 to keep the guy from being arrested. Hell, I’d probably have been willing to slip the cops $50 to tase him a couple of times. Stealing library books isn’t cool. They’re held by the library in the public trust, and stealing them to me, is more reprehensible than just stealing some private citizen’s books. Library books are for everyone, most especially those without the means to buy their own. This knucklehead basically is stealing from all of us, with a disproportionate impact on people unable to afford to buy books. Why shouldn’t he be arrested and fined? I have little sympathy for him. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/204 "2013-11-09T19:24:49Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > Just so I’m clear, you really don’t think the owner of an item has any right to get it back when it’s lent out? You believe “the poor” are either too stupid to return borrowed materials or too dishonest to be trusted to do so? > > Wow, WHO is belittling “the poor” again? And would YOU enjoy having people just waltz in, grab belongings that you worked to pay for, and keep those items as long as they please (apparent intent being to keep it permanently) without your permission? > > And just how are libraries supposed to be useful to the community, especially those who can’t afford to just buy books (& etc.), if they can’t enforce such basics as getting materials back? Stealing library materials is theft from the taxpaying community as a whole, and harms EVERYONE who wanted/needed the stolen item, plus people who wanted/needed an item that could not be purchased because a stolen item had to be replaced. > > If you really believe that there’s no such thing as property rights, how about you put your worldly goods where your mouth is and throw open YOUR doors to the public and invite them to take anything they want and keep it as long as they want, regardless of any other need for it. Not willing to do that? Then it’s hypocritical of you to expect the taxpayers who fund the library to do so with library materials they’re paying for out of the money they work for. I was being sarcastic in my previous post, as I’m sure you recognize. Honestly, I don’t want to be snarky but I think we’ve gone over most of this in the previous 200 posts. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/205 "2013-11-10T02:44:29Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Except that isn’t what the law says. I would expect (well, hope) that the librarians would be somewhat understanding but if the law as written like this, then it can be enforced like this. And it doesn’t help people who move without realizing their error and don’t receive the notices to return the book. They get a nice warrant regardless. You keep mentioning people who move as if that’s some sort of magic pill that makes people forget library books AND never use the library again. If someone moves and forgets they have a book, as long as they use the library once in the next three years their address WILL get updated and they WILL be notified about missing items. And yes, if someone explains the problems, the librarians will usually be pretty understanding. Unless you’re a habitual cheat. Then we make sure you pay your full fine every time. > [@Erdosain](#): > > In all seriousness, I usually enjoy Lamia and Justin’s posts. Someone has clearly urinated in their library materials. And not paid for it. You joke, but urine-soaked items are a pretty common occurrence. I’ve had people return books covered in cat shit claim it was like that when they checked it out. I’ve also had a woman drop multiple books in the bath (over a span of about a year) and claim that she shouldn’t be charged each time because they’re old books (guess what, they weren’t). Oh, I’ve also seen a copy of 50 Shades of Grey returned with a few pubic hairs stuck in the pages and some mysterious sweat stains (god, I hope it was sweat) along the bottom edge of the book. This woman slid because the patron record was cleared before I noticed the problems. So yeah, this kind of thing pushes my buttons. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907/206 "2013-11-10T06:10:00Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Except that isn’t what the law says. I would expect (well, hope) that the librarians would be somewhat understanding but if the law as written like this, then it can be enforced like this. And it doesn’t help people who move without realizing their error and don’t receive the notices to return the book. They get a nice warrant regardless. Good. If someone breaks the law and skips town without leaving a forwarding address then I certainly hope a warrant would be issued for their arrest. > [@](#): > > Wow, it must be really important to you to convince us that people should be arrested. See how lame that tactic is? Uh, no? I wasn’t really trying to convince you of this because I didn’t realize you disagreed, but I do in fact believe that it’s okay for the police to arrest people who break the law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arrested-for-overdue-library-book/672907.md?page=10)