$40,000 Library Fines

[Why?Town]

$40,000 / $5 = 8000 offenders.

[Gal4Books]

When someone owes the library $5.00 for fines, lost or damaged books, etc. they are blocked from borrowing.

[kenneyjoe330]

Ahhhhh I believe the "key" or "operative" phrase is "when I was younger"  And recalling waaaaay back THEN I believe you are quite correct - You were not permitted to take out books ( waaaay back then BOOKS were what it was all about  ) without paying any fines you had.  I remember the library sending a FIRST CLASS LETTER - which meant they meant business (waaaay back then) - letting YOU KNOW you OWED THEM AND THEY WANTED YOUR PAYMENT AND THE BOOK TOO  and they also said someting like "if you lost the book you will be billed for what it cost" AND DON'T COME BORROWING until this is cleared up.  I got one once and WOW did I fill like I let God and my county down  and you know the mailman told the neighborhood gossip YOU got a letter from The Library and every knew YOUR SIN  -(waaaay back then)  THAT was probably when you were no where near rusty  river

[rusty river]

I used the Westside library pretty often when I was younger, and I was NEVER able to check out new books if I had unpaid fines on my card. I'm pretty surprised to learn that this apparently is no longer the policy.

[jay]

I have also heard a library clerk tell someone he has a fine (several dollars) and then ask him if he wanted to pay anything toward the fine.  Often the patron would say "no" and then continue to check books out of the library.

Until now I thought this was only an isolated case.  Thanks Kenneyjoe for sharing this information.

[kenneyjoe330]

dear rusty river - can you tell me more than just "yes"..... I have often had fines on "books on CD" - they have always been under $1.00 except once it was a little more.  The lady at the counter always said I could "pay it another time" and was willing to let me take more "books on CD" out.  Was she just being nice to ME 

[rusty river]

Yes.

[jay]

I was surprised to learn that the library has allowed $40,000 in fines to go uncollected.

Question
Does the library deny access to computer use and book lending to those who have accumulated fines?