Today, I went to a library to return a book that I've had for years. After a heated discussion with the librarian, not only did she charge me over a hundred dollars for the book, she also called the cops to escort me out. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, I tried to return a library book sneakily to avoid the overdue fine. I slid it on the counter but the scanner screamed, lights flashed, and the librarian announced my humiliatingly overdue name like a game show host. FML
Today, I rushed from work so I could get to the library to return a book that was due. The library closes at 7:00 p.m. I arrived at 6:56, huffing and puffing. The lady saw me, slammed the door in my face, and locked it. I now have to pay a late fee for 4 minutes. FML
Today, I was at the library. I went near the computer section when I saw this man cursing and pounding his fists on a computer. He left. I thought I'd check it out. As I sat down, a librarian came over with the security guard and pointed at me. I'm now being fined for destroying public property. FML
Today, I found out that someone found my lost library card, and instead of returning it, took out multiple items. If they don't return them, I'm on the hook to paying over $100 for them. FML
Today, I was in the library when police arrested me for threatening people. The librarian even told them I did nothing wrong, and that the actual girl they wanted had already left. They took me in anyway. My dad sided with the police and let me “think about what I did” in jail overnight. FML
Today, I went to the library to bring back some books, I walked up to the counter and the librarian turned to me and said "What can I do for you young man?" I'm a girl. FML
Today, I'm just a simple librarian. Last week, we had to call the cops on two separate aggressive patrons. Today, I had to call the cops yet again. WTF? FML
Today, I was at the library doing research for my midterm. All of the computers were in use, so I decided to use my laptop instead. Ten minutes later, I was confronted and kicked out. My offense? Unauthorized use of the library's so-called "Free Public WiFi". FML
Today, I went to the public library for the first time ever. The librarian told me I couldn't get a library card because I had an outstanding balance of $130.00 from 1995. I was born in 1991. FML
Today, my friend wasn't responding to my whispers in the library, so I walked over and very slightly moved his chair. At that exact moment, the librarian walked in. Regardless of our efforts to tell her anything, she got us banned from the library. FML
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Top comments
babyblueyes 27
Well you kinda deserve it for having the book for so long...
Bunaf 4
At least you did the right thing in returning the book.
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Comments (100)
Bunaf 4
At least you did the right thing in returning the book.
ElizaZee 9
I'm very curious as to what that argument was about...
kittenvks 11
Maybe the 100$ fine?
becca717 7
...or the fact that he's had the book for years. O.o
ColdplaySucks 18
Can't you just say you lost it and then pay the amount needed for the book?
ColdplaySucks 18
I thought that they'd nullify the late fee if you just replaced whatever is lost at full price.
imyy 20
My understanding is for books that late, the biggest fine they can charge is the price of the book, but still, YDI for returning it several years late. What could have possibly been your excuse?
lochiamochia 25
Probably lost it after throwing it to the floor and mounting piles of clothes and other stuff on top then found it after finally cleaning all the dust bunnies from under his bed and realizing, "Wow! I've been looking for this thing for years!"
myeviltwin 20
Yes. My understanding was that libraries could not charge fines in excess of the cost of replacing the book/dvd etc. in question.
kittenproblems 9
maybe it was a very expensive book?
CrassKal 27
I currently owe my local library $70. I kept several books for several months overdue. Just dropped the books the bin and left. Went back once after 2 years to see exactly what owed, left as soon as they told me.
that_band_nerd 22
Most libraries have special grace days where if you bring in late books you don't have to pay fines. They do it so they can just get their books back because otherwise everyone is too scared to have to pay for the book(s).
DLBL 23
Right. The library just says, "It's ok, we just want our books back." It's a kindness on both sides.
Alleged_Cranium 7
Shhhhh!
jkmartinjk 16
Is anyone else bothered by 'I've have had'????
fml121785 14
I was thinking the same thing 92. It is incorrect, right?
Trish01 23
Yes, it's incorrect. It's like saying "I have have had". Auto-correct, maybe?
Trish01 23
Also, is OP Brick Heck by any chance? :D
babyblueyes 27
Well you kinda deserve it for having the book for so long...
SweetasCandy0609 28
only if someone invited a button for that, oh wait they do have one.
Hiimhaileypotter 53
#19- What are you, FML Queen? It's not like #3 just said "YDI," they actually had a substantial comment. You need to calm down and mind your own business.
rick1 8
At my library, no matter how long you have the book they can only charge as much as the book you had out.
ElementaryEdGuy 18
19. I invited the button to my party. It didn't come. :/
dontpanic_fml 32
You're better off; buttons are absolutely terrible guests
BlueFlatts 20
I invited the Easy Button to a party and it turned out to be fanstastic. It was almost as fun as that time I invited the Big Red Button. Oh wait...
tbone3w 11
And for arguing with them. I wish I could have heard that conversation.
SweetasCandy0609 28
simple solution remember to turn your books in on time.
not_a_robot 15
My library doesn't even have a book returning time limit, they just send out a letter every month asking you to return it at the most convenient time possible. Is mine the only one like that?
RedPillSucks 33
This was an old school library. None of this new age mamby pamby "we only charge the cost of the book" You taka our book, we breaka yo knees.
whY402Jay 12
The only solution was to pay the fee. You can't fix a past problem that exceeded a solution with an overdue date of completion.
Hiimhaileypotter 53
If you had the book for years, what was even the point of returning it? I can understand I suppose, but you should've retuned it years ago.
Hiimhaileypotter 53
And, like everyone else has said, you had the book for YEARS. Do you really expect them to just let you return it after years without a fine?
Ameel_fml 19
If you've had a book for years and the library hasn't reminded you to return it in all that time, I think that's a pretty good indication that you should just keep it. Either that, or offer to pay for a replacement book.
sikunt89_fml 16
I have accidentally done that before, they just charged me the cost of the book and let me keep it, I think you got ripped off, FYL.
Enslaved 38
You are exactly right. I've also tried to return late books before and they told me to "just keep it" because they already replaced it. I did however have to pay the value for the replaced book. :P I don't think the OP got ripped off though. The book was probably worth over the $100s to replace.
Atchoo 8
"The book was probably worth over the $100 to replace." Well that's a raging assumption, and one hell of a book too.
Zebediabolical 45
Have you tried to buy a new book lately? I have. It was almost as expensive as my first car!
Voij 16
Are we talking regular book or college class necessity type of book here? Because the costs of the latter one are about 4-5 times as much as for the first one.
VeganVampyre 27
In the States, the average softcover would be around 5-10$, the average hardcover would be 15-25$. Since the OP didn't specify, I think it would be logical to assume the book they had was probably your average novel, not worth more than 30$ or so. I don't know why you would assume the book was worth over 100$ when typically the only books that cost anywhere near that much are university texts, reference books, and collector's items.
laden_swallow09 35
132- If it were a college book, by the time OP accrued THAT big a fee, it'd already be outdated. It was a few years, after all. I have yet to hear of a particular edition of a textbook that's lasted for more than one year.
dontpanic_fml 32
Not sure about the cops but you readily say you had the book for years so what's wrong with the fine?
Grand_Cookie 21
Our library sues you for the book after a year or something. How'd you make it multiple ones?
lilhellian 27
Because not all library sues.. Mine doesn't..
hardonforjesus 10
If you've had it for years, the huge fine surely couldn't have been a surprise.
VeganVampyre 27
Sure it could. Even if they had it for years, the library shouldn't need, or be able, to charge them for more than the book was worth. At this point they've probably bought a new copy to replace the book, so they should only be charging OP what it cost them to replace it.
ElizaZee 9
I'm wondering what the argument was about...
dontpanic_fml 32
What the heck Eliza, stahp
RedPillSucks 33
It was a "Where's Waldo book". OP argued that there was actually a misprint and Waldo was nowhere to be found in the book. The librarian insisted that Waldo was on page 35, and only an idiot would have taken so long and not found Waldo. OP was incensed.
whY402Jay 12
Why were you still curious 9 comments later?