Published: Dec 8, 2010
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A California woman is proving it's never too late to make things right.
Ninety-five-year-old Hazel Severson of Sacramento says a friend found a book that Severson's late husband had borrowed from an Amador County library in 1936 while sorting through things for a garage sale.
She knew what she had to do: return the book and offer to pay the overdue fee - a whopping $2,701.
Severson told the Sacramento Bee that she and her husband Howard were newlyweds back when he checked out the hardback, "Seaplane Solo," about Sir Francis Chichester's 1930 solo flight across the Tasman Sea.
Luckily for Severson, the library didn't charge her the fee, though it did accept a small donation when she stopped by on Oct. 13.
Librarian Laura Einstadter says it was just happy to get back the book.
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Information from: The Sacramento Bee, http://www.sacbee.com
© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Friday, December 17, 2010
Calif library book returned 74 years overdue
Saturday, December 4, 2010
A few excerpts on libraries
A few excerpts from an article discussing libraries.
Public libraries are an integral part of a free, educated society
I completely agree.
Some argue that the library is an antiquated institution
Unfortunately, yes. What with so many new forms of technology, it seems that maybe people will be going to libraries to visit them sort of as if they were museums. What can libraries, and librarians, offer that is not already known or available with the click of a button? The problem with this belief is that it does not take into consideration the people who don't know how to find information, who need help finding resources, who don't have access to computers/copy machines/printers, who need help finding good and accurate information that a quick search in a search engine just won't give. And, of course, no matter how large one's house is or how amazing one's computer is, it will never hold all of the books in the world; that's one reason libraries will always be here.
Public libraries are an integral part of a free, educated society
I completely agree.
Some argue that the library is an antiquated institution
Unfortunately, yes. What with so many new forms of technology, it seems that maybe people will be going to libraries to visit them sort of as if they were museums. What can libraries, and librarians, offer that is not already known or available with the click of a button? The problem with this belief is that it does not take into consideration the people who don't know how to find information, who need help finding resources, who don't have access to computers/copy machines/printers, who need help finding good and accurate information that a quick search in a search engine just won't give. And, of course, no matter how large one's house is or how amazing one's computer is, it will never hold all of the books in the world; that's one reason libraries will always be here.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Ala. woman charged in theft of 200 library books
Published: Today
ANNISTON, Ala. (AP) - Librarians in Anniston, Ala., said they knew someone was stealing thousands of dollars worth of books, and now they believe they know who did it: A jobless woman who likes to read.
Anniston police say 42-year-old Regina M. Smith was arrested Wednesday on a felony theft charge after officials at the local library reported that a woman was seen stealing two books.
Police said they determined Smith had taken 222 books valued at $5,432 over the past couple of years - mainly crime novels, mysteries and vampire stories.
Investigator Kyle Price said Smith has a library card but sneaked books out and kept them rather than borrowing them legally, he said.
Court records didn't show whether Smith had an attorney. Her bond was set at $10,000.
© 2010 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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