Jail. That’s right. If you don’t return your library books in a timely manner then you could be looking at time in the slammer.

A library in Georgia is enforcing new rules to recover more than $200,000 in materials. I mean, I really hope this isn’t the case at most libraries around the country. That’s obviously unsustainable.

What I don’t understand is how the library says it will be enforcing new rules such as the jail time. The library can’t write laws. Unless the rules aren’t actually new and the library just hasn’t been enforcing them. If I knew someone had 20 books from the library just sitting at home and I had the legal standing to have them arrested, I think I would.

It is no different from stealing. And in the case of the library it amounts to stealing from taxpayers.

I’m hoping people just return their books and pay their fines before the question of jail time arises. Everyone knows unreturned library materials are just sitting at home anyway.

The policy sends the person a postcard about their overdue items, then a text or email, then a court summons, then jail time could be on the table if that is ignored.

Do you have any stories of overdue library books? I remember one. I think it may have been overdue by about a month or two. But I didn’t drive at the time and I usually had to force one of my parents to take me to the library. I think my fine ended up being $1 or something.