These days the ladies at the Bonham Public Library aren’t quoting Shakespeare or Keats.
With so many books long overdue from the city facility, lately the staff has turned to quoting Popeye: They’ve stood all they can stand and they can’t stands no more!
“I want my books and I want them now,” librarian Barbara McCutcheon says with a very serious look in her eyes. “These people have all been notified. It isn’t like this is a secret.”
The matter is now being turned over to Bonham Police Chief Mike Bankston.
A lost list of offenders has pilfered a staggering amount of city property. Almost 300 books are now missing. With new books averaging close to $30 each, video documentaries costing up to $60 and the price of books on tape in the range of $100, the worst offenders may face stiff penalties.
“We are willing to give a grace period until May 15,” Chief Bankston stated, “but if the books aren’t back at that point we are going to vigorously seek warrants and begin making arrests.”
Resulting penalties would depend on how much city property was stolen. Chief Bankston expects most offenders to be in the Class C or Class B misdemeanor range, but once theft reaches the $500 level, it can be prosecuted as a Class A misdemeanor and result in a $2,000 fine and up to two years in jail.
Of course, no one wants to see arrest warrants issued, but Bankston and McCutcheon are serious when they say the city wants its books back. There is a very a good reason, too. Libraries face more budget difficulties every year and every time a stolen book has to be replaced, that means another new book can’t be purchased.
This problem has gotten so bad the public library has simply stopped trying to keep certain books because the books seem to disappear as soon as they are replaced.
Vehicle repair manuals vanish. GED books are gone as soon as the library purchases a new copy. The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test and the Beatles Anthology are gone for good this time. Odds are it wasn’t a wizard whisking away the Harry Potter series, but the bottom line is this disappearing act is now affecting the financial bottom line for the library. And for the great majority of library patrons that treat the city property with respect, this all means there is a blank spot on the shelf where the book, movie or documentary they came to check out should be.
The solution is easy. Just bring ‘em back. Bring them to the night drop located in the back of the Bonham Public Library if you would rather not bring the books inside.
Call if you need to keep the book or books you have longer than originally intended. The library phone number is on each library card and receipt. The Bonham Public Library is one of the very finest small-town libraries anywhere and all library users share a responsibility to help the staff keep as much material on hand as possible for all to use.
So, please take advantage of the “grace period” and help the Bonham Public Library restock their shelves with the long-overdue city property.
And please remember it was the police chief that suggested a grace period. The library staff suggested stun guns. They want their books back.
