In New York, if you don't pay your overdue book fees they can report you to a collection agency.
In Queens, the library has netted more than $11.4 million by doing so over the last decade.
More libraries should go after library scofflaws. Sure, checking out books from the library should be free, but there should be a serious penalty if you never bring them back.
If you didn't return a video to Blockbuster, they would charge you for it. So why do books get less respect?
Library resources are often scare. If a book is not on the shelf because it's somewhere in your house, that will prevent another person from using it.
The library should be for everyone. If a few scofflaws abuse it, they should have to pay.
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You will also find this system closer to home as well. How come you didn't use our own Metropolitan Library System as the example? They send uncollected overdue fines to collection agencies as well.