We are library fugitives or at least we are since moving to suburbia. Our library is smaller and stricter, very controlling over it's stock. Since moving here 18 months ago I have had my library card turned off, suspended, or blocked 3 times. Twice for fees and once for checking out TOO MANY BOOKS! Really, I got in trouble for loving the library too much!
Since then I have become paranoid and fanatical about making sure that we have all our books back on time (or renewed) as well as making sure everything is in good shape (remember I was fined for a tear in a book we NEVER read!). I check through all the books and I return them with post it notes scattered through out. Even the kids get involved running up to me. Mommy! Mommy! Someone wrote in this book and it wasn't me!
A few weeks ago during the height of our crisis we realized (thanks to the automated e-mails both form the library and from my Google Calendar) that we had both books and DVDs due. Hubby decided to run to the library while everyone was taking an afternoon nap. The only problem, we couldn't find more then half the books, and a DVD. When mom is sick apparently the house goes to hell in a hand basket! From my perch on the couch I tried to tell my husband all the places he should look (bathroom, lowest shelf on the office book shelf, basket next to the office chair, "play" bedroom, under the beds, bedtime story shelf). When he couldn't find more then 3-4 of the 15 books we had out I chalked it up to man senses and sent him on his way while renewing the books online (if it wasn't for online library systems I wouldn't be allowed in their doors!).
Several days had passed and since I was up and around more I started looking for the missing library books. I was stunned. It wasn't man senses, the books honestly and truly seemed to be missing. On top of that our children's bible seemed to be missing too. I started to think I was loosing my mind. The kids were of little help. If I could get their attention long enough to ask them where the books were they usually either stared at me blankly, or said what books?
I was starting to panic.
Have you ever had to replace a library book? They are like $100 a pop! Mostly because the one time I looked up a book I thought we had ruined, it was out of print. Still, I was sure we were going to be paying our mortgage just for the privilege to go to the library again. So while we were getting ready for bed and I was frantically searching every square inch of their tiny bedroom for books I asked Monkey (the older one) where is the bible?
"It's under Peanut's pillow"
Me: "What? Her pillow? On her bed?"
"Yeah I saw it there when I was hiding in the corner"
We proceed to pick up her pillow and find that our daughter has been sleeping on not only a large children's bible, but also the 5 missing library books. I asked her (remember shes 2) why all the books were hiding under her pillow.
"I no sleep, I read 'em"
Apparently while mommy was recovering and she was spending time with grandparents she was hoarding books and hiding them under her pillow so she would have something to do during nap time.
This does not bode well for my future.
Soon we will have to be patted down upon leaving the library!
At least now I have one more place to check when books go missing.
6 comments:
LOL-- we go through this too!!!!
Wow, that library is strict!
Once, we took out 3 books on cd for a long car ride. After our trip, dh said he would drop them off. He didn't, no one ever said anything to me, until one day when I got notice that I owed $150+ in fines!!!!
Thank goodness they let me pay like $20 and return them and be okay.
That is so cute that she hid them in her bed to have something to do during naptime. Miss H is almost three and I have actually been letting her take books to "quiet time" for awhile now. Even if she doesn't sleep, I make her have at least and hour and a half of quiet time every day.
Jordan's bed is covered with books (ours and library). Probably because she reads during "nap" time as well.
I'm dreading our next trip to the library... ben ripped the spine off of one of the board books. I wonder how much we will have to pay.
Oh that's too funny!! What a clever little girl. I used to (and still do!) adore books and reading. I hope she keeps that love of books even when naptime is not involved!
That's the cutest story!
And, I have had to pay for lost library books. It isn't fun to pay $20 for a dr. seuss book, especially when I have the exact same copy of my own. Luckily, we usually find them and can still return them to the library and get our money back.
One time, I found a lost book, but it had been over 6 months since I paid for it, so the library wouldn't return the money. When I found out, they asked, "Do you still want to return the book?" I was like, OH HEY-ELL NO! But I actually said, "Well, if you're not going to give me my money back, I think I'll just go ahead and keep the book, mmkay?" I thought that was the dumbest question on earth.
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