Holidays At the Library

Now that Thanksgiving is over, we're full-blast in the middle of the official Holiday Season.  Maybe you're going to the usual places for holiday cheer, like the mall, but did you think about heading over to the library?

Believe it or not, there's plenty of holiday spirit at the library.  We got our decorations up for the season, including quilted snowmen, rocking horses, wreaths, and of course, a Christmas tree.  Needless to say, we also got a lot of holiday things to check out and bring home with you--books for kids, teens, and adults, music, DVDs, and magazines.  And it's not all about Christmas.  We have Hanukkah and Kwanzaa items, too.

There are plenty of holiday-themed events and activities this time of year.  For instance, tonight we're having a Snow Time Party with snacks, crafts, games, stories, and a special visitor dressed in red!  All of us at the library always look forward to this party.  For the kids, we even have holiday storytimes that celebrate the season.  If you feel like knitting something as a gift for someone special, there's a Spin-a-Yarn knitting group to learn new stitches or simply have fun socializing.

So, don't forget the library this Holiday Season.  Santa's elves over here are doing their best to make everything merry and bright!  There's something fun for everyone!

Happy Holidays from the perch!

 

Thanksreading

While some people are crowding the malls getting early Christmas deals and listening to carols on the radio, I'm looking forward to the nearly forgotten non-commercial holiday closer at hand: Thanksgiving.  Whether you're looking for something on the Internet to help you plan a festive table for a crowd or a warm and fuzzy read just for yourself when you have a moment of peace, there are plenty of different things out there.

For those who are really ambitious (or just pretend to be), take a look at the following websites that can help you with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner:

• Delish  Great for an elegant turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
• Martha Stewart  Hey, it's Martha. 'Nuff said.
• Quick and Easy Thanksgiving Menu  If you want to make something good in a short time.  

Of course, if you have no clue how to cook a turkey but don't want to pick up one cooked by the supermarket, there's always the food experts at Butterball Turkey Talk-Line to help you with your turkey 911 questions.  Just try not to ask them questions like these that make me re-think the notion that there is no such a thing as a stupid question.

If cooking isn't your thing or if you're lucky enough to be going over the river and through the woods to somebody else's house for dinner, maybe you're looking for a good book to snuggle up with.  Try some of these titles to help keep you cozy:

• The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)  You got caught up in the phenomenon, read the book, and watched the movie.  Maybe it's time to re-live the story or enjoy the heart-pounding thriller for the first time.
• Death Comes for the Archbishop  (Willa Cather)  This book isn't as morbid as it sounds.  If you want a feel-good spiritual book set against the backdrop of 19th century New Mexico as seen through the eyes of a French clergyman, this is it.
• The Four Agreements (Don Miguel Ruiz)  Looking to gain some perspective on yourself and others?  This book explains it all to you in a way that calms your soul.
• Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)  Who doesn't like a Gothic romance every so now and then?  This one is an oldie but a goodie, complete with great plot twists.
• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)  So what that it's a kids book?  Aren't we all kids at heart?  Experience Narnia again with Lucy and her siblings.

So this Turkey Day, don't worry about those early Black Friday sales and take the time to enjoy the bird.  Slow down with some reading, online or in print. 

Happy Thanksgiving from the perch.

 

It's Election Day--Vote!

If you don't know today is Election Day, you've probably been living under a rock for the past 2 years with no access to TV, radio, or the Internet.  Today is the big day when we finally get put out of our misery from seeing all those ads, hearing those jingles, and getting flyers in our snail mail.  I don't know about you, but I'm definitely feeling election fatigue.

Like most elections, there's a lot at stake, including the choice of a new president.  And like every presidential election since 2000, Americans are pretty much divided between the candidates.  Many are heated up over either the Democrats or the Republicans.  I'm not going to tell you which side is better or for whom you should vote, but what I will tell you to do is simply vote.

As people have been coming up to the perch today, I've been asking them whether they've voted.  Thankfully, a number have been telling me that they have while some have told me they haven't.  I realize that a lot of people, including myself, are frustrated with the election process, the politicians, and what's being done (or not) in the country.  I realize that a lot of people think that their votes won't matter much, but that's where people are wrong.  Every vote does count and it's important that your voice be heard.

If you still need help deciding which candidates to choose, stop by the library.  We have newspapers and computers on which you can link to the League of Women Voters and other websites that list the candidates' positions on different issues.  No matter who you decide on, just vote.  It's exercising your right to vote and contributing to the democratic process that makes a difference.

And just for the record, I voted.

Patriotically yours from the perch.

 

Library Hoarders

I don't know about you, but when I was a kid my parents always emphasized at the dinner table that I only took the food I was going to eat because it was a shame to waste food that someone else may want to have.  I could apply the same logic to borrowing items from the library--borrow those items that you think you're actually going to use during the allotted check out time and leave other items on the shelves for other patrons to use.

It's great for the library's circulation numbers when patrons check out numerous items, but there's a difference between someone using a lot of materials and someone who's a "library hoarder."  For instance, it somehow irks me when a patron checks out a dozen DVDs and asks to renew the dozen DVDs she already has out because she didn't have the time to watch them.  I can't help but wonder why she's bothering to check out more DVDs when she still hasn't watched the ones she checked out previously.  It reminds me of the time when my cousin kept shouting from his high chair for more corn when he had a plateful of corn in front of him.

Some patrons come into the library knowing exactly what they want to borrow while others decide what they want by browsing.  I hate to think that some patrons may miss that exciting unexpected find because someone else is hogging items.  Now don't get me wrong, if someone is actually going to watch 28 movies in a week or read 53 books in a month that's perfectly fine, but if that person keeps renewing those items and checks out more, that's plain gluttony.

So if you happen to be a library hoarder, take a moment and think about your fellow patrons.  Is it really fair to others to have library items just lying on your kitchen table when someone else may get some good use out of them?  Remember--sharing is caring, and libraries do both.  Don't forget to care about other patrons and share all around.

Just my 2 cents from the perch.

Not Rowling Along

So many of us kids and kids at heart have loved reading the Harry Potter series of books.  Although the writing style may have been mundane, what really sold these books to readers was a creative world of wizardry as seen through the eyes of its child protagonist.  We explored Hogwarts, the Leaky Cauldron, and Honeydukes Sweetshop together with Harry, and we became interested in the different fascinating people he encountered, good and bad.  The Harry Potter books were page turners because we had to know what was going on with Harry, causing each newly published volume to be more anticipated than the last.

When J. K. Rowling announced that she was going to write another book after concluding the Harry Potter series, her fans were overjoyed to learned that they had not read the last from their beloved author.  When it was announced that the new post-Potter book was targeted at an adult audience, fans were surprised and skeptical, yet mostly open-minded.  They trusted that Rowling would no-doubt have the Midas touch with yet another publication.  Sadly, though, I'm afraid a number of Rowling fans will be disappointed by The Casual Vacancy.

I'm not normally a quitter when it comes to books, but I have to confess that I wasn't able to get very far past the opening of Rowling's latest offering.  The same mundane language of Harry Potter is there, only this time it's laced with gratuitous profanity.  We know this one character is dead and that many people are happy this character died unexpectedly, but we don't really care why he's been so hated.  Unlike with Harry Potter, Rowling can't gain our sympathy or interest.  Even a quaint, charming fictional town nestled among the majestic English hills can't draw us into this ordinary, non-wizarding world.  After being bored and apathetic for the first 25 pages, I just didn't want to confirm my first impressions by trudging through the next 478 pages. 

There are writers, such as James Patterson, who can easily shift between writing for adults and children, but unfortunately not all writers are blessed with such a gift.  Some writers are better off finding a niche they're good at and sticking to it.  If you ask me, I think Rowling should keep writing children's books that captivate children of all ages and leave them hungry for reading more.  Be honest--am I the only one around here who wants to know what happens to Harry Potter's kids and whether there's new dark magic brewing at Hogwarts?

Unmagical me daydreaming magical dreams on the perch.

Join the Club!

Book clubs have been around for some time, but they're more popular now than ever before.  Why the interest in a social activity that's been around as long as the book?  If you ask me for my humble opinion (and it's always ever humble), I think that in an era that keeps us increasingly connected to each other electronically, there's still nothing like sitting face-to-face with someone and having a real conversation that doesn't involve electronic gizmos.

The number of people in a book club can vary from an intimate gathering of several people to a large classroom-sized group.  The materials chosen from the group can be very general or more genre-specific, focusing on science-fiction, fantasy, chick-lit, or whatever else.  Book club discussions can be organized informally among friends or more formally by bookstores and libraries.

I'm happy to say that I'm the organizer of our library's book club, and it's one of the roles I really love.  I cherish choosing books, thinking what the attendees and I might find interesting.  And I love it when others have suggestions for future book club reads.  I never read the books in advance, so I'm enjoying the books along with the other members, relishing books are well-written and contain issues that promise a good discussion.

Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail are all very well and convenient, but there's a special current in a room that has real people sharing their thoughts and feelings about something they've read.  Book clubs are more than just about reading a book.  They're about making simple human connections and old-fashioned socializing, things that all too often get left at the wayside of information highways these days.  Sometimes we just need something a bit more personal than a tweet or an e-mail.

If you're looking for a more personal, human connection, check out your local library, bookstore, or community center for book clubs.  Or even make a book club of your own and invite your friends.  You won't regret it!

Ever yours checking out book club reads on the perch.

Being Graphic In the Library

In my last post, I had no fear in addressing the sensitive matter of ad-supported toilet paper used by libraries to save on operating costs.  Well, this time I'm getting graphic.  In the library.  No joke--I'm gonna get downright nitty-gritty, ready to expose everything and I mean EVERYTHING!

Let's talk graphic novels, people.  We're not talking about anything illegal or questionable, just books that are similar to comic books in that they have a storyboard format that conveys the action through illustrations and dialogue.  Some graphic novels are original like Smile, and some like Twilight: The Graphic Novel and Anne Frank: The Anne Frank House Authorized Graphic Biography, have been adapted from popular books.

Graphic novels are great for kids and teens who are looking for something different to read or who don't necessarily enjoy reading.  The illustrations help draw in reluctant readers, allowing them to gain an interest in books and improve their reading abilities.  Kids who once had no desire to go to the library now can't get enough of going.

But just in case you're thinking that graphic novels are intended solely for kids and teens, think again.  A number of graphic novels are created for adults and include everything from superheroes to literary classics.  If you weren't a fan of The Iliad or The Three Musketeers in high school, perhaps you'd like to give their illustrated versions a chance?  You'd be surprised to see how many adult patrons check out all types of graphic novels from the perch.  So, come on in to the library and check out the latest graphic novels for your pleasure and enrichment.

Now honestly, what did you think this post was going to be about when you first started reading it?

Innocently yours from the perch.

A Tissue Issue

It's come to yours truly's attention that the Portchester-Rye Brook, NY Public Library will be touching its patrons in a personal way, and I mean very personal.  The library plans to use ad-supported toilet paper in its bathrooms.  In plain English, that means advertisements for various products and services will be printed on the paper you use to wipe your backside.

Has the library funding crisis really come down to this?  According to the library director, the library would save around $1,000 a year on purchasing toilet paper, because institutions that choose to use ad-supported toilet paper get it for free.  It's completely understandable that libraries, which are strapped for cash these days, are looking for breaks wherever they can, but I think it's sad that they have to resort to such advertising in place of community financial support.

And even though the ink used on the toilet paper is soy-based and therefore natural, what happens when you have a library patron who's allergic to soy products?  Will libraries risk lawsuits or will patrons have to tote around their own rolls of toilet paper for their personal use?

If anything, the issue of ad-supported toilet paper should be a wake-up call for communities to do more to support their libraries.  Vote for levies, donate some books, attend library programs, make your voices heard.  I bet if everyone made a $1 donation to their local library, it would make a difference.

Yours from a currently ad-free perch.

Keeping the Library Clean

You expect some workplaces to be a little messy, like hospitals, construction sites, and crime scenes.  I bet, however, that you'd never expect a library to be one of those workplaces that's rather unkempt.  After all, how can a bunch of books in themselves be messy?  They're all neatly ordered on the shelves, right?

Well, the books may be organized in their proper places on the bookcases, but it's what patrons do with the books that make them messy.  You'd be surprised by the condition in which some books get returned to us.  Coffee stains, scribbles, water damage, food, unknown sticky stuff, and sometimes brown stuff that we hope isn't what we think it is.

Besides books, we find other things that are messy in the library.  The tables occasionally have drops of coffee, soda, and whatnot on them.  The pillows in the kids' room sometimes have dribble.  The computer keyboards are full of germs from kids and adults who don't use tissues when they sneeze or cough.  And don't get me started on the computer passes.  It's just a few yards between the desk and the computer lab, yet I'm amazed what people do with the passes during that short journey: putting them in their mouths and getting whatever else on them that we don't want to know about.

I and my library colleagues do our best to keep the library, its materials, and its equipment clean.  We're armed with Clorox Wipes and Swiffer Dusters, and we're not afraid to use them.  It's a HUGE help, though, when our patrons do their their part to take care of the library.  When you check out materials, treat them as if they're your materials because they are that: YOUR materials.  Be careful not to share your delicious lunch with them--books don't like to eat, and they don't like taking baths just because you do.  And please use tissues and sanitizer to help keep equipment clean and prevent others from catching your cold.

If we all take care of the library and do our best to keep it clean, we can all enjoy it and its great materials for a long time to come.

Hard at work sanitizing the perch.

Midsummer Wizardry

Hello to all my wonderful fans out there in Cyberspace!  I'm sure you've been missing me this month, but even perch librarians need to take a summer vacation to catch up on beach reads.  Hopefully, you've all been able to have a little time off to catch up on summer reads yourselves!

Speaking of reads, I thought it would be appropriate today to address a reading phenomenon that has magically affected the literary scene over the past 15 years and influenced readers of different generations--Harry Potter.  In case you're a mere Muggle who's not in the know, today is the birthday of both the character, Harry Potter, and his creator, J. K. Rowling.

If you ask me in my humble opinion (and be it ever so humble), the Harry Potter series of seven books has been a wonderful addition to the literary world.  Sure, we can get nitpicky and point out that the writing style is rather mundane--it's no Dickens or Austen--but it has key elements that all good books exhibit, which include a good story, vast imagination, and boundless creativity.  The books are real page turners that can't be put down.  We just have to know what happens to Harry next.  We just have to know what are hippogriffs, thestrals, boggarts, and dementors.

Most importantly, Rowling has done something that few other writers in recent times have done--get children who ordinarily don't enjoy reading interested in reading.  It's one thing to write a book and another thing to get kids to read it.  I don't remember at any other time children of all ages being so excited about reading that they actually wait with their parents in bookstores at midnight to be the first to buy and read a new Harry Potter book.  Maybe kids do things like that for a movie or a new electronic game, but a book?  That really says a lot about something supposedly old-fashioned and low-tech.  There is yet hope that reading books is a timeless and treasured activity valued among younger sets.

So, Happy Birthday, Harry Potter and J. K. Rowling!  Thank you for infusing the act of reading with new life for millions of people who are young and young at heart.  May there be others to fill the big shoes you've left behind!

Re-reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone on the perch.

Good Summer Reads

A short while back I talked about summer reading programs at our library and other libraries across the country.  If you're one of those readers who knows exactly what to read and is happily reading the summer away, that's great.  However, if you're not sure what's good out there or want to know what's popular right now, here's a list of titles to put you in the know and get you started. 

• The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)  If you haven't seen the movie or read the book yet, don't miss out.  This is the first book in a trilogy set in a country called Panem, where each year 24 boys and girls from 12 districts are forced to compete in a gladiator-like competition in which the last one alive is the winner.

• Calico Joe (John Grisham)  A good read for baseball aficionados.  In 1973, Joe Castle is a promising rookie from Calico Rock, Arkansas whose career takes an unexpected turn, something that has a profound impact on a young fan and his father, a pitcher for the New York Mets.

• Fifty Shades of Grey (E. L. James)  The naughty little book that's taken book clubs and individuals by storm.  Inspired by the Twilight series, this book and the succeeding two in the trilogy (Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed) focus on the sexually liberal relationship between a young, handsome entrepreneur and a recent college graduate who interviews him for the student newspaper. 

• A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin)  A must-read for fantasy lovers looking for a new, fresh story.  Filled with friends and foes, lords and ladies, sorcerers and assassins, Martin's book is so jam-packed and full of action that it was recently made into an HBO series.

• Divergent (Veronica Roth)  In a dystopian Chicago where 16-year olds must decide to belong to one of society's five factions, a girl makes a difficult choice and endures various struggles.  The story continues in Insurgent and a third book that has yet to be published.

• The Best of Me (Nicholas Sparks)  For anyone with a romantic side, Sparks delivers a tale of high school sweethearts from different sides of the tracks.  Their lives take them in opposite directions until they meet again in middle age at a funeral.

Still haven't found a book that's enticing?  Then check out these websites for summer reading suggestions:

• GoodReads

• National Public Radio

• Parade Magazine

• Publishers Weekly

Whatever your taste in books, enjoy your summer reading!

Seasonally yours and otherwise from the perch.

Summer Reading Programs

Today I'm unabashedly tooting the horn of my library and other libraries around the country.  With summer just a couple of days away, summer reading programs are about to start or have already started.  My library began registering kids, teens, and adults for our program this past June 1st, and we're still registering readers.

The library staff and I are always excited about the summer reading program.  Quite naturally, we're happy to see more people of all ages reading.  We value reading as an activity that's entertaining, enriching, and educating.  Often, people don't have as much time as they would like to have for reading, but summer vacations at home, on the beach, in the mountains, or wherever give people more time to relax with a good book.

It's great to see adults enjoy the books they choose, but it's especially great to see young readers just being introduced to the library become giddy about getting their first library books.  Some are so enthusiastic about getting their books that they don't want to relinquish them for checkout.  I sometimes have to reassure the kids that they'll get their books back in a moment.

I absolutely love seeing young readers march back into the library all smiles and full of pride when they turn in their reading logs.  They have a real sense of accomplishment that they did something good and fun.  They may not realize it, but the reading they're doing is improving their vocabulary, their spelling, and their writing, as well as their overall thinking and reasoning abilities.  Reading is putting them on the fast track to doing well in school and later in life.

So, if you want to help develop your kids' reading habit or support your own, go to your library and take part in the summer reading program.  At the risk of sounding cliche, you'll be glad you did.

Busy taking reading blogs at the perch.

 

Fifty Shades of Dull

Sitting here on the perch I see a lot of books, and I mean A LOT of books.  So I learn what's popular with the patrons firsthand.  Sometimes I get curious when I see a book going out so many times, and when that happens I usually end up reading it to see what my patrons find interesting.  Like my patrons, I too am a reader with her own personal tastes and opinions of books.  With that in mind, what I have to say next is simply my own personal impression of a particular book; I do not mean to influence anyone's decision to read this book or criticize anyone's opinion of this book.

I recently read E. L. James' Fifty Shades of Grey, the popular "it" book of the moment.  I'd like to summarize this book for you, but honestly I find that a rather difficult task because despite its 500 plus pages there's not really much of a story to summarize.  To put things simply, girl interviews boy, girl and boy are attracted to each other, girl finds out boy is into kinky sex, girl still wants boy even though he gets high from causing her physical pain.  O...kay...?

Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time understanding why there's so much buzz about this book.  Sure, there's the obvious shock value and BDSM going on, but beyond those things, I don't see much else.  I enjoy reading fluff like the Twilight series (which surprisingly was the inspiration for Fifty Shades of Grey), but fluff for me has to have some substance, even if it's only minimal.  Other than a lot of sex scenes (that get ho-hum after reading the first few), repetition, mundane writing, and little character development, James' book is a shallow read that made think, "What did I get out of those 500 plus pages?"  If anything, I was amazed that any woman would want to be with a man who wants to hit and hurt her (I don't care that the man is obscenely rich and has his own private jet).  That's not sexy to me; that's just plain abuse.

One library in Florida pulled Fifty Shades of Grey from its shelves claiming it didn't fit its selection criteria only to return it to the shelves due to high patron demand.  As a librarian, I feel this book deserves to be offered in libraries like any other book.  Just because it's not my cup of tea doesn't mean that I don't want other people to read it if they choose to do so.  To not offer it would be to censor it, and censorship is definitely not what American libraries are about.  Library patrons have the right to read whatever they like; that's one of the beauties of living in the United States and enjoying the freedom of speech.

And if you have your own opinion of Fifty Shades of Grey, I'd love to hear from you.

Pondering the mysteries of the universe on the perch.

The Benefits of Bibliotherapy

Many of us read books for pure enjoyment, entertainment, or interest in a subject.  Some of us read books for therapeutic reasons, otherwise known as bibliotherapy. 

At times you may be going through a rough spell, whether it's a divorce, the death of a loved one, or a serious illness in the family.  Other times you might feel like you're the last single woman on earth or the only nerdy guy around who doesn't have six-pack abs.  We all want to feel that there are other people around who have experienced what we're experiencing, that we're not alone in this thing called life.  We want to see that there are people just like us out there and learn how they handle predicaments.  This is at the heart of bibliotherapy.

The whole purpose of bibliotherapy is to make yourself feel better about yourself and your outlook through reading books.  You may possibly find helpful fiction through a friend, librarian, television program, or on your own.  You may also find some useful non-fiction, self-help books through a therapist, counselor, or some other professional to help you understand and deal with a situation you're facing.

And bibliotherapy is for everyone.  It's not something that's reserved strictly for adults.  Many teachers and schools are using bibliotherapy to help young children and teens with different issues, from expecting a baby brother or sister to bullying.  It's a way to address a subject and bring it out into the open, making it easier for youngsters to discuss what they're feeling.

Bibliotherapy is a growing area, and there are some great websites that have bibliotherapy book lists on various topics:

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

The Guardian

Library Booklists

VA Bibliotherapy Resource Guide

Whether your bibliotherapy is entertaining or deep, may it be enlightening and spiritually uplifting!

Positively yours from the perch.

The Internet Public Library

I'm sure you've all missed me when I was off the perch nursing a cold last week.  How you managed without a new blog post from yours truly is a mystery to me.  Happily, I'm back with a new post to brighten up your day!  Please remain calm; don't get too excited.

As some of you may know, from time to time I tell you about interesting websites for your research, enrichment, or amusement.  Well, the website I'm sharing with you today covers all three of those categories.  It's the Internet Public Library (a.k.a. IPL2) and there are adult, teen, and child versions of it.

What's so special about the IPL2?  If you've ever felt flabbergasted searching for information on the Internet and weren't sure if some websites were trustworthy, the IPL2 is there to come to your aid.  The website is put together by library information students as well as other library and information professionals who have combed the web for sites that are dependable. 

If you know what you need, you can just type keywords in the search box and you'll be given a list of reliable links to websites and articles included in the IPL2.  If you just want to have some fun and browse around, you can check things out by subject or you can get links to newspapers and magazines  around the world.  Personally, I get a kick looking up trivia information on states through the Special Collections.  Can't stump me if you ask what is the state with the lowest population density!

So, check out the IPL2 if you have a school project to do or just want to kill some time.  You'll be glad you did. 

Brushing up on trivia on the perch.

The Issue of Overdue Library Items

I'm questioning myself, "Do I really need to talk about keeping track of library items and returning them on time?  People should know that if they borrow something from somebody or someplace, they need to return it eventually."  Unfortunately, I do need to talk about returning items on time since there are a number of people out there who don't. 

Generally, I find that library patrons fall into 3 groups: the on-timers, the slightly late, and the incredibly overdue.  The on-timers return their library whatnots on time.  All of us on the library staff love the on-timers.  The slightly late return their things a few days up to a week late because of a family emergency, broken down car, something unexpected, or honest forgetfulness.  They are all apologetic and more than willing to explain why they couldn't return their items on time.  Sometimes they even bring us cookies to make up for their lateness (FYI, my favorite is chocolate chip).  Then there's the incredibly overdue, the ones who haven't returned their library materials in two months or in two years (I kid you not).  Patrons in this category often have lost the items and don't want to face the music or have (seriously) moved out of state and can't be reached.  There are, however, some belonging to the incredibly overdue who actually do return their items, for which we are grateful.

It's not always an easy task to get the incredibly overdue to return items.  Just ask my colleague, who regularly handles these patrons.  She psyches herself each time before making phone calls to notify patrons of their overdues in an ever-so-pleasant way.  Sometimes the patrons take the news of their delinquency well, while others do not. 

Since our library doesn't charge fines, we rely primarily on the kindness of our patrons (and some polite badgering) to return materials.  Other libraries charge fines or even report their patrons to the police, who in turn jail some offenders.  In the Middle Ages when books were rare and painstakingly made, curses were put on anyone who "stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not" a book, having that person "be struck with palsy, and all his members blasted."  I don't know the statistics of returns during that time, but with curses like that, I would assume they were pretty good.

Believe me when I say that we librarians don't enjoy hunting down people to have our items returned.  We just want our materials back so other people can enjoy them and get use from them.  A library's items are meant to be shared among everyone; they're not exclusive to any one person.  Please return your library materials on time.

Diplomatically yours from the perch.