Growing up I spent a lot of time in our local library. When my
parents would go and read, my brother and I would pick out books to read. Listening
to story time or other events as a kid was pretty fun. It wasn’t until I became
an adult, in my twenties that I started to have issues with libraries. I have
no problem admitting they have a purpose and its great lending system and could
be beneficial to the community. Especially for those who simply do not have the
budget to purchase several books on a regular basis. What I didn’t appreciate
was bringing back a book only to find that I was charged a late fee.
I’ve
always been responsible at bringing a book back. The first time I had a fee I wanted
to check out the same book since I hadn’t finished it and had a day left. Someone
else was waiting for the book which was fine; I had planned on checking it out
again later. When I did come in to see if they had returned it, I had a late
fee for it waiting for me. As an idiot I paid for it. I was given the speech
how the library operates on fees to pay for costs. I looked at it as an
unofficial donation even though I hadn’t appreciated being treated as though I
had done something wrong since I didn’t want to pay the fee and returned it on
time. This happened three more times so I stopped going to the library for
several years.
I had married at 19 and only stayed here for 2 years, moved
to another state (WI) and had the same issues. All I could assume had been
libraries much be taught the same tactics. Some twenty years later when I moved
back home (MI) and thought I would give our library a chance; it was relocated
in a new building and looked very nice. I had a book ready to check out only to
find that there was a book checked out under my name that had been returned
later. I wasn’t even in this state during that time and I know I never loaned
my card to anyone to use. That’s the excuse they gave me, was that I must have
lent my card to someone to borrow. Definitely not something I would ever do. I
don’t loan things I’m responsible for that are not mine, I would loan a few
books I owned myself but definitely not ones from the library. They refused to
take the fee off so I refused to pay the fine. I haven’t been into that library
since.
Now living in a smaller town my husband convinced me he has
never had that problem so I gave it a try. We checked out a few audio books to
a long drive. We returned these late, this fee we actually earned. We also paid
for it. Second time I go in to check out an audio book to find a late fee
still, for a physical book. I have yet to check out a physical book at this
library so now I have decided I am done with them. No more chances, for my own
children I choose to purchase their books. If there is going to be a late fee I
would rather purchase a book and own it then borrow one and get charged either
for a book I didn’t borrow or for something I know wasn’t late.
