I hate stories like this! Public libraries are there as a service to the public–the more people who use our facility, the better off we are and the more funding we’ll have to provide more and better services. We are not guardians of the books–that job’s reserved for archivists and rare book librarians. Sure there are rules and they’re there for a reason, but the rules shouldn’t stand in the way of basic common sense! Computer systems screw up, people make mistakes–even library staff people. If you treat patrons like that, they won’t come back and everyone suffers when that happens. And the really sad part is that, as a patron, I have stories like this, too. 
Ooops, sorry! Dial-up slow downs–I should have posted from the library, they have a T1 
We don’t seem to be blessed with the best of librarians around here, lauramarlane, but they’ll have to try a bit harder to drive me away. I love the library (and I’m poor).