Florida Man Arrested On Overdue Library Book Charges

mycfnow ^

[chance33_98]

Florida Man Arrested On Overdue Library Book Charges

Posted: 9:54 a.m. EST January 24, 2003

A man who had overdue library books was arrested. Kevin Crookman was five years overdue on returning three books to the Clearwater Public Library.

The 27-year-old had ignored a letter sent in 1998 ordering him to appear in court on the charges.

Crook was a passenger in a car pulled over by a Pinellas sheriff's deputy. When his name was run through a computer, it showed he was wanted for failing to show up in court on the overdue library book charge.

Crook spent the night in jail before a judge released him. He faces charges under a 1996 ordinance allowing libraries to prosecute the worst scofflaws in county court, where they face a 500 dollar fine per book.

However, Clearwater officials said they don't intend to pursue the charge against him, meaning it probably will be dismissed.

[Puppage]

Arrested by a Library Cop?

[strela]

Kevin Crookman was five years overdue on returning three books to the Clearwater Public Library.

Hmmm ... was the title of one of the books "Dianetics" by L. Ron Hubbard?

[Wolfie]

Yep. Mr. Bookman.

[Lee Heggy]

A further check in searching the vehicle revealed that the trunk was stuffed with over three thousand mattress tags.

This guy is REALLY in trouble.

[PaulJ]

HaHA, you beat me to it!

[aimhigh]

I consider libraries a socialist way of avoiding buying books. The author gets no royalty, etc. If they did this with videos, the industry would scream.

[Protagoras]

Public libraries are wealth redistribution.

[Protagoras]

If they did this with videos, the industry would scream.

They do it with videos, and music too. And it is different than copying, loaning is not a violation of rights.

The problem with libraries is not the royalies, but the socialism.

[Dimensio]

Some public libraries also lend out movies (as in modern features on DVD). Most that do rely on donations for that, though.

The author gets no royalty, etc.

Do you believe that used book sales should be banned?

[Lee Heggy]

Daytime flophouses for indigent welfare parasites.

[TomServo]

"You took this book out in 1971. Yeah, '71. That was my first year on the job. Bad year for libraries. Bad year for America. Hippies burning library cards, Abby Hoffman telling everybody to steal books. I don't judge a man by the length of his hair or the kind of music he listens to. Rock was never my bag. But you put on a pair of shoes when you walk into the New York Public Library, fella!

Let me tell you something, funny boy. Y'know that little stamp, the one that says "New York Public Library"? Well that may not mean anything to you, but that means a lot to me. One whole hell of a lot! Sure, go ahead, laugh if you want to. I've seen your type before: Flashy, making the scene, flaunting convention. Yeah, I know what you're thinking. What's this guy making such a big stink about old library books? Well, let me give you a hint, junior. Maybe we can live without libraries, people like you and me. Maybe. Sure, we're too old to change the world, but what about that kid, sitting down, opening a book, right now, in a branch at the local library and finding drawings of pee-pees and wee-wees on the Cat in the Hat and the Five Chinese Brothers? Doesn't HE deserve better?

Look. If you think this is about overdue fines and missing books, you'd better think again. This is about that kid's right to read a book without getting his mind warped! Or... maybe that turns you on, Seinfeld; maybe that's how y'get your kicks. You and your good-time buddies. Well I got a flash for ya, joy-boy: Party time is over. Y'got seven days, Seinfeld. That is one week!

You'd better not screw up again, Seinfeld, because if you do, I'll be all over you like a pitbull on a poodle!"

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Arrested by a Library Cop?

Reminds me of the movie "Fletch", where Fletch is surprised by some yokel while he is looking under a bed. He says, "I didn't want to do this, but I'm afraid I'm gonna have to pull rank on you. I'm with the Mattress Police. There are no tags on these mattresses."

[Protagoras]

Daytime flophouses for indigent welfare parasites.

To force me, at gunpoint if necessary, to pay for someone else's reading material, is immoral. So are all the other wealth transfer schemes.

[Protagoras]

It's scary that anyone can recite that verbatim. LOL

[Liberal Classic]

The first library in America was started by Ben Franklin, called the Philidelphia Library Company. Pertinent to this discussion, it was was a subscription service costing 10 shillings a year to check out their titles. Non-members could check out books if they put up some collateral. Putting aside for a moment the question of whether public libraries should receive tax money, wouldn't checking out a book and not returning it be theft?

[TomServo]

Ha! Cut and Paste....

[Protagoras]

wouldn't checking out a book and not returning it be theft?

No question. Theft is theft. By the government or by this dead beat in the story.

He is stealing from theives, which is still wrong.

[Protagoras]

Ha! Cut and Paste

I knew that, just trying get to the truth,,,:^}

[TomServo]

I knew that, just trying get to the truth..

Well, I may be a plagiarist, but at least I'm honest. :-)