Lebanon Police Cite Library Patrons|abc27 News

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Lebanon Police Cite Library Patrons

posted 6:20 pm Mon March 10, 2008 - Lebanon

reporter: Amy Kehm posted by: Amy Smith

tags: lebanon • police • library • books

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abc27 News - Lebanon Police Cite Library Patrons

Lebanon Police are filing charges against library patrons who refuse to return items. The Lebanon Community Library says it is losing thousands of dollars worth of materials. It wants the items back or the money to replace them.

Library Head of Circulation Barbara Neil notes, "The good part about circulation is people love to take out our books. The bad part is some folks choose not to bring them back."

Just last year, 600 items, involving 150 library patrons, were not returned. That cost the library $15,000. The library says it tries to be nice. It sends renewal notices, emails and makes phone calls. After 50 days, it sends a certified letter. Now, the police are involved.

Captain Daniel Wright explains, "They asked us about the possibility of charging people with retention of library property."

Filing charges gets the court involved. It allows the library to seek restitution money for the missing items.

Neil tells us, "It's not unreasonable to expect us to have the materials paid for if someone would lose them or misplace them, just so we can continue serving other people in the community."

The library says if you bring the items back, it will send a letter to the court stating that. It is up to the judge to decide what further action to take.

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