Biblio File

Better Late Than Never by Billy Parrott, Associate Director, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library (SNFL)July 25, 2014

A recent Mental Floss article about overdue library books reminded me of a book the Mid-Manhattan Library received in the mail last year. It was mailed from Arizona. It was overdue. Its due date: August 17, 1959.

Why is society so stigmatized about returning library books late?

Is it a fear of disapproval? The guilty feelings brought about by abusing a free resource and depriving others of those resources? The Seinfeld episode only increased these guilty associations. You know the one: a long overdue copy of Tropic of Cancer and the quick, hardboiled reprimands from the library cop named Bookman.

An overdue book is nothing to be ashamed of. Let's face it, accidents happen and sometimes books are returned past their due date. It's a small mistake that should not keep you away from the Library.

Which brings me to the library book we received, overdue by almost 54 years.

I imagine the patron feeling so guilty about the lateness that weeks turned into months, months into years, and years into decades.

The patron probably thought we would look down upon him as he shuffled into the Library, head down in disgrace, to return the overdue book.

Perhaps it was the book's subject matter that prevented the book from being returned. The book was Ideal Marriage, by Th.H. Van de Velde, M.D. As for a description of the book, I'll venture only so far as to say it's a very wordy and very scientific instruction manual for sexual activity written in 1926. However dry and scientific, it is certainly more juicy than Tropic of Cancer!

In addition to the guilt associated with overdue fines the patron also had to bear the humiliation of returning such a lurid book!

As a librarian, I instantly searched the book for marginalia, wondering if patrons of years past might have taken the liberty to highlight their favorite passages or add notes, but there was only one sentence underlined dealing with men who "only care to relieve their own tensions and care nothing for their wives as an individual or mate."

The book was returned with an apologetic note:

We found this book amongst my late brother-in-law's things. Funny thing is the book didn't support his efforts with his first (and only) marriage... it failed! No wonder he hid the book! So sorry!!

A shocked in-law

 

 

 

 

 

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Comments

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Overdue Library Books

Submitted by Marcela Dunham (not verified) on July 25, 2014 - 12:43pm

I have been working at a public library system in NJ for the past 11 years. I always remember when an elderly patron brought some books to the library to return, and told us that her son-in-law had been admitted to the hospital for emergency surgery. As he was being wheeled in the ambulance, he told her: "Please return my books to the library, I am afraid they are going to be late!".

He owes about $981.45!

Submitted by Rochelle Suits (not verified) on August 1, 2014 - 12:58pm

He owes about $981.45!

No he doesn't!

Submitted by Laura (not verified) on August 4, 2014 - 12:47pm

Public library fines DO NOT continue to accrue past a certain point. The media persists in furthering this myth probably thinking it's funny or cute. Actually this is one reason, once books are very overdue, that people don't return them. They think they owe hundreds. THEY DON'T!

Big Brother Is Watching

Submitted by Jan Garfield (not verified) on August 6, 2014 - 9:09pm

I've worked in public libraries for 30+ years, and I think people often perceive us as part and parcel of the government. As such, we have unthinkable minions to unleash upon them to extract our revenge: the IRS, Code Enforcement, local law enforcement. Especially panicked are new citizens, often from places where the government CAN come after you at midnight for the things you read. They must hope their offense has somehow fallen through the cracks, and fear we'll recognize our mistake only if they return their materials!