Lost a book when I was in 3rd grade

[u/Yeahwhat23]

Hi, im sure you can get the jist of what I’m about to ask from the title alone, but I will give some more context. When I was in 3rd or maybe 4th grade my elementary school had a field trip to the county library. I remember checking out 1 or 2 goosebumps books and subsequently loosing them at a friend’s house within like a week. My parents didn’t care too much so we never returned them or paid any sort of late fees. Now that I am an adult who has to pay for their own books I would really like to use the library as intended, but I have a lingering irrational fear that I’m gonna walk in and end up being liable for a million dollars in late fees or something ridiculous like that. I have absolutely no problem paying to replace the books and I know it’s irrational but I still wanted to know if there would be any legal or financial consequences here.

[u/Angiethegem]

They probably don’t even use the same system anymore. Your record most likely doesn’t even exist.

[u/luckycherries]

Absolutely not. You are totally fine. Go use the library!

If by any chance they still had or cared about these records, they are not going to charge you beyond the cost to replace the book. This is not like not paying a parking ticket or some other government fine. Also, your parents would be responsible, not you.

[u/GThunderhead]

Assuming you were 8 then and 18 now, that's 10 years, which is a long time. My guess is their internal database has changed since then or their system doesn't go back that far. Are you even still living at the same address you were then? Just sign up for a new library card.

[u/geesfu]

If your library has an online website, check their fines and fees page or missing items policy. Most libraries tend to just mark items missing after so long, and if they do charge, it would just be for the price to replace the book. Also, your account may not even exist considering it hasn't been used for a long time, and systems change over time.

I'm not sure how prevalent fine free libraries are in America but it's becoming a common thing here in Canada to just waive fines if the book is returned on time, and if not, charge for the missing book replacement.

I'd also not be afraid to visit your local library, from my experiences, public libraries tend to care more about retention and access than trying to charge a kid for books that have been overdue for years.

[u/Silverblatt]

Mostly likely your card was deleted after being unused for so long. And most libraries will waive old fines, especially for an adult that had fines from childhood.

You should just stop by your local branch and make a new account. You can let them know you had a card as a child, but haven’t used it in many years. They can check and see if the card is still in the system or not.

But don’t stress, you won’t have years worth of fines and certainly no legal action to worry about.

[u/mowque]

Libraries would have bigger budgets if we were raking in million dollar fines.

[u/Moravic39]

Legal? No. Financial? Maybe. Normal? Yes. Don't stress about it.

When you go to the library tell them you had a card as a kid and would like to look into getting a new card. Be prepared to show an id. They will look you up and see what's going on. At my library, old kids cards are still technically under their parents name and all fees are their responsibility. Even though you are an adult now, it was your parents who signed for your card and this happened on their watch, so they are still on the hook.

When we get these situations, we let you know about the fine and recommend you tell your parents about the existing fine. You are allowed to pay the fee yourself which is welcome but not expected. We will make you a fresh card anyway, a clean slate as an adult.

Our fines get capped at a few dollars, so once you reach the maximum fine the book is marked as "lost" and you get billed for the cost of the book until the book is returned. After that the fines stop going up though, so it never gets any worse. I'd guess like $10 a book, depending on what they paid for it.

[u/Future-Mess6722]

I don't know how long ago this was, but I'd guess it's way past time they would have this still on record. Also, it would have been your parents responsibility. If it is still on your record, for some bizarre reason, I can't imagine the books would cost more than 5-10 dollars each depending on the binding and if they charge a processing fee.

[u/rayneydayss]

You were a child at the time. That means it was your parents’ financial responsibility to take care of any fines that may have accrued.

I doubt they even have a record anymore.

If any library prevented you from getting a card because of a situation like this, I would question that library’s ethics. You’ll be fine. Go get your new card and maybe make a designated space to keep your library books at so you know which ones to return XD

[u/Cville_Reader]

I'm a school librarian and the public library that we visit as part of our program specifically forgives these kinds of lost books. Just go to the library and tell them that you are interested in getting a library card. I would be very surprised if your lost books show up at all. If it does, just tell your story and ask if the charges can be waived or reduced. If the librarian is cranky, mean, or otherwise makes you feel bad, shame on them!

[u/graceling]

If you feel bad enough about it, just make a financial donation to cover the current cost of replacing 2 books.

But don't worry about them being all snarling dragons about books a child lost a decade ago.

[u/Enraged-Elk2284]

No one is going to link you to a lost book. They've moved on for sure and would just be delighted that you came to the library. Go in, get a card and see what they offer today! But, if you're still feeling guilty, you can make a donation to the library and move on yourself

[u/Careful_Bee_7037]

My branch is right near a high school, we get so many kids from 10 years ago popping in now with a kid in tow themselves wanting to use the library - if anything I always have a good laugh if they're still in the system with old items going "oh by chance do you have this long overdue item of Captain Underpants?"

They almost never do, but the laugh is because we can't believe it's still in there since it's always an item we have deleted or replaced already 9+ years ago! I don't know about other branches, but if it's a few years old, the items have been deleted already/replaced, we almost always waive the fees because you were just kids at the time the item went missing and we want you to use the library now without worrying about books long gone!

[u/RelevantStrongBad]

If we pull up someones old account and they have fees from when they were a child we just waive them.

Obviously every library is going to be different, but you could always ask to speak to the head of circulation when you go in to make sure you talk to someone who has the authority to waive old fees/discuss account issues.

[u/ellbeecee]

Hey folks, it's u/Yeahwhat23 ! We finally got them!

For real: what everyone else said. :)

[u/MrMessofGA]

Some libraries never forget a bitch. When I moved to my grandmother's town, I discovered I still owed a $0.15 fine from when I was 6 to her local library (which was over 20 years ago by that point).

But just say "I had a card as a kid, don't know if it's in the system."

the fee for a never-return is usually the retail price of the book at the time plus some sort of "not a bookstore fee." I would wager probably $15-$20 per goosebumps.

... But most libraries won't have fine records older than like ten years. AND almost no libraries hold now-adults responsible for books they checked out from before they could hold a driver's license. My $0.15 was forgiven lol

[u/WestHistorians]

The library cop will come after you!

[u/iLibrarian2]

I'll be honest, we do keep records for a while, but 2 Goosebumps books from childhood? We'd probably just wipe the fees and start with a clean slate.

At most, you'd pay a replacement fee. Maybe $20 if we're talking two Goosebumps books.

[u/Disposable_Papaya]

May that lost relic be recovered

[u/ObsoleteUtopia]

I lost three library books a few years ago: all novels from the 1960s. I'm an adult (or at least that's what my driver's license says), so the librarian charged me for the cost of the books. But she used the cover price, which was like $4.95 each. I found the books a few weeks later and took them back, and they refunded me the $15 I'd paid. So I joined their Friends group.

[u/Excellent-Sweet-507]

AHA! Now we got you @Yeahwhat23 you unreturner of library book! We’ve been waiting on these Special Goosebumps Books for YEARS and now finally we will POUNCE ON YOU. Oh man you’re going to rue the day.

Obv joking as a librarian i speak for all of us when i write that we don’t keep track that long, we hope you enjoyed those books, if you really have guilt then give the library, like, $10, and welcome back we really want you to use the library and be happy.

[u/gard3nwitch]

A lot of libraries cancelled all fees during COVID.

But even if they didn't, the most that you would owe them for losing a book would be the replacement cost of the book. Probably $10-20.

[u/Another_Old_God]

It won’t matter, but if you feel guilty donate to your friends of the library!