Book Thieves

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I have never stolen a book from a library.
What I hate is going to the library looking for fantasy books and finding that over half of them have been lost/stolen, it makes want to find the person that stole the book punch his/hers face and grab the book.

 

I have accidentally stolen lots of library books. I used to always get notices that I had overdue books, and I could never find them. Half the time I couldn't even remember checking them out. So I would pay the fines to get my library privileges back, and the next thing I know- "Oh, THIS new Ruth Rendell novel!"- it falls on me from the tower of books beside my bed or I find it in an old handbag. Eureka.

But it never occurred to me to return it to the library at that point, once I'd already paid the fine. That's a really interesting question. At that point, is it a rightfully purchased book or is it still stolen property? Should one take it back after one has already paid an exorbitant replacement cost?

Anyway, now I just buy my books outright and forget the library. It's cheaper in the long run.

[Edit: My husband, who referred to library-book-thefts as "sad" and "pathetic" higher in this thread, has just informed me in frosty tones that I still owe the library $5. Way to prompt a divorce, Tal! ]

[This message has been edited by Sprite (edited May 17, 2002).]

 

I realize that you didn't make it up. I meant that you associated the fact that some people here have stolen books to a common American practice.

It's not that there is a problem so much as I ,too, had a question. I wanted to know why certain incidents always turn into American issues as a whole. Oh well. I suppose it's really an impossible question to answer, and a highly debatable one anyway.

[This message has been edited by Xenecor (edited May 18, 2002).]

 

Okay, I feel I need to clarify something - having just read Sprite's 'edit' above

Couple months back, my wife (see above) asked me to drop off some library books one day when I went out to pick-up a video. *She* was busy at the time, and so couldn't take care of it. So, I hobbled on over to the library, and dropped them at the desk. *Then* I was told there was a $10 fine for the *overdue* books My wallet was empty. Under the unrelenting gaze of the library police, I searched my pockets for change, and paid what I could. After reading this thread yesterday, I remembered that my wife still owes the library a $1.50

(Hmppph! Frosty tones indeed )

 

Is there a single thread in Whatnots that doesn't mention America at some point?

But back to the subject: I have never, ever stolen a book from a library. Libraries are for common good, and I respect them because of that. I am, have been and will be an active library user, Hell, I was picked as a Linbrary Activist when I was 12...

But back on the subject: Many of us have said that they were young and foolish when they stole books from the library, and I have to agree that young and foolish havve a tendency to be choosy on the laws they decide to abide. I personally am ashamed to admit that I have once shoplifted a book. It is the thing I most regret stealing. I feel awful about it every time I walk into the bookstore/see the book.

Ara
(Doing research in the name of Snapefic... )

 

I've never stolen library stuff ever.

I thought I lost a book back in High School once, but at the end of the year when we cleaned out our lockers, it was hiding behind a stack of hall passes...

 

/me thinks it's time for Xen and Tal to use the new PM thing

[Who asked you anything? I obviously can't drop this in the middle of the topic. So refrain from giving me any "wise" advice in the future. Oh, btw, you can PM me if you have anything else to say. ] -Tal

[This message has been edited by Taluntain (edited May 17, 2002).]

 

When I was in undergrad I worked at a bookstore in the Bloomingdale's building on Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL. After I graduated, I took a job at Bloomingdale's working security. I didn't leave the bookstore on good terms a year prior; I quit after an argument with the "manager" who reprimanded me for not being an aggressive saleman in front of customers. Very bad form.

Anyway, the building is huge. It has all kinds of tunnels and back elevators, etc. I used them to catch thieves who also used them to steal. Interesting times.

A friend one year younger than I and still in undergrad got a job at this bookstore. We hatched a scheme...

My responsibilities included internal theft security, so I watched the employees, but no one really watched me. As anyone who has worked in a bookstore knows remainder hardbacks (and some soft covers) are sold back and some softs are thrown out with the covers torn off. The bookstore threw the books out by a truck carousel dumpster area where all the stores shipped/recieved and dumped. I had the keys to everything.

So, the plan was, when they threw out the soft remainders, my friend would load the cart with every hardback Oxford English Dictionary in the house, along with some first edition contemporaries at the time (like DeLillo, etc.), and whatever else we knew was in the shop we wanted that wouldn't be missed given the demographic and our minority tastes. I would then drive down into the carousel after my shift (in my very dashing 1974 MGB-GT I drove at the time) and pick them up and re-sell them or hoard them or do whatever book fanatics do.

We never did it. I always wish I had. I also dreamed of stealing a first edition Ulysses, Atlas Ed. with slipcover from the Chicago Art Museum, but no way do I have the stones for that.

Why do people steal books? An interesting question. The most successful thief in the world, if one counts the aggregate money value of property stolen to determine crimnal success, was a book thief. He was arrested in his Iowa home about ten years ago. He had stolen from nearly every major collection in the U.S., public and private, and had three of the fourteen(?) remaining Guttenburg bibles along with other priceless antiquities. He would have escaped detection were it not for a vigilant home inspector who drove by en route elsewhere and noticed his house was bending and the floors sagging. A search of the house was performed and that was it. Anyway, sorry to blab.

 

Well, I only steal books from schools because I'm too lazy to return them. I still have my grade 5 history book somewhwere in the house. My brother stole a french/english dictionary from his french teacher. But I don't steal *regularly* from libraries. That's out of the question.

 

LOL! I have 2 books of Tolkien and 3 of C.S Lewis... Borrowed them at the schoollibrary... and forgot to reurn them... it's kinda far away to my school... My mom told be that I had to bring them back so I told I did so..... I gave them to a friend of mine.

 

So stealing regularly is out of the question, but stealing occasionally because you're too lazy to return them is fine? Interesting point of view.

 

Volar, noone said it was fine. Sloth is just a reason. Exceptable or not exceptable, it is a reason.

EDIT: BTW, Serena.. you're right.. but it looks a lot more hostile than it actually is . No sense going back and forth when both points have been made. Besides... with all of those razz's... I figured you were joking



[This message has been edited by Xenecor (edited May 20, 2002).]

 

heh, I was joking, I'm never serious But I don't think I want to be in any kind of an arguement.

Besides, I think everyone must have stolen something at one time, even if they didn't *mean* too Books, bubblegum, etc.

 

Hm, i thought, that Taluntain just wanted to mention, that people from other countries don't walk around and tell everyone they have stolen a book. I wouldn't tell you.
I think it's normal that children sometimes lose a book. But thats not the same than stealing it.
And America is not mentioned in every topic. Why should it? It's not that important.
I never met any american people in real life who told me that they stole a book. Maybe it's a cyber topic?