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April 08, 2005
Rant: Defacing Library Books
Today I opened a book I checked out from the library yesterday. On the very first page of the table of contents, I knew I was going to need the new pink eraser I just bought. I was right. Nearly every page has pencil marks, underlines, and comments, that interfere with at least 40% of the text. This one even has highlighting in it. In a library book! The eraser isn't even enough. I'll never be able to read this copy. I don't know why the library charges 50 cents a day in fines for late books and charges nothing at all to the borrower who ruins that book by writing in it.
When I buy books, I often buy used ones, and when I do, I assume a certain amount of other people's markings. I don't expect that in a library book.
So today's rant is aimed at those who write in library books:
[rant]
JUST STOP IT!! Those books are borrowed! They do not belong to you. Other people will want to use them. Writing in them is vandalism. It defaces the property of another. It's not just wrong, it's rude. If you want to mark up the text while you read, BUY the book.
[/rant]
Posted by cageyer at April 8, 2005 06:14 PM
Comments
You know what would be really cool? When I was a kid we used to have to write our name on a card in the front pocket of the book. I think it was the public library, but it may have been a school library. I always thought it was kind of neat that you could see who else read the same book.
Posted by: mike at April 15, 2005 03:48 PM