That’s actually kind of cool, I agree.
I don’t really have a problem with people writing in their own books, tho I don’t do it myself. But library books are obviously someone else’s property!
Close. Library books are the property of every member in that community/whoever can get their hands on them via interlibrary loans.
Annoying, yeah. Can they write in em? Absolutely.
No, they belong to the library. I’m sorry, I just don’t see your point of view. It’s defacing of property, that’s all there is to it. They belong to everyone insofar as they use them in the manner they were meant to be used. The only example I can think of off-hand is, where my parents lived behind their house was a large pond. Around the pond was a large expanse of grass and common area. Everyone was allowed to play here or picnic or whatever…but those were the uses that were intended. It “belonged” to everyone but that didn’t mean you could build a pool on it or make a mess on it.
And I suppose the street in front of your house belongs to anybody who can drive up and try out their new jack…hammer.
Yeah. The street is property of the city, which is paid through the taxes. If someone wants to jackmammer it, have at it. I assume their identity or at least a good description of this person can be had so they can be caught for destruction of property or some other such crime.
’Mika, is this library a private institution? If so, then my statement doesn’t apply, but I wouldn’t reserve a spot in hell for someone underlining in a book.
Doodling in it and chewing on the pages, yes.
Actually, this could end up being a good question to ask Cecil.
Anaamika, you remind me of the worst case of this I’ve ever seen. In the 1980s, the Cleveland Heights, Ohio public library had an old book on Islam. I don’t know why it was still on the shelf, because public libraries often replace outdated books with more recent ones. Several pages had been written all over by an angry person to argue against what this critic felt were wrong views of the subject, calling the author a “white Jewish bitch” and other such invective. :rolleyes:
Most public libraries are funded in some way by money from the government, and that’s what purchases books. The books are property of the library and are paid with through taxes. I can’t imagine why the books sitting next to me are stamped all over with the library address and name if they don’t belong to the library. Most libraries have policies that require patrons to replace books if they deface/destroy them, and part of defacement is vandalism.
Why do you think that books aren’t the property of the libraries they belong to? Patrons may have the opportunity to check items out of the library and use them gently and respectfully, but they by no means have the right to it that ownership conveys.
Well, it seems that we’re stick with defining what “the right to it that ownership conveys”.
Underlining things, even multiple underlinings in a couple different colors is fine. Once again, if the book has taken a few passes through a big ass wood chipper, then they should be held accountable for destroying property. I’d assume that 'Mika is upset because of random scrawling that makes her interrupt her enjoyment of the book on a serious level. If it’s been nothing but serious people taking out the book before and underlining various passages for reflection, I’m for that.
They need more of those Mr. Bookman cops from that one episode of Seinfeld.
He was one tough monkey.
Wow. I love getting books with writing in them. I can’t really explain why…it’s like a feeling of having a deep, brief look into someone else’s private moment combined with a feeling of sudden connection with someone random. Also, a little of the mystery of social patterns and the Meaning of Everything thrown in.
It’s like getting a special, limited-edition version of the book that will not be seen until yet another like-minded person happens upon the book, in a month, a year-- or never.
Um…yeah, I really buy into the mystique of libraries. :o