Reminds me of the story about the book that was overdue by ONE HUNDRED YEARS. It was finally returned by the guy's descendant.

Fun fact: You cannot get Top Secret security clearance in the US government if you have outstanding fines for overdue library books.

My library doesn't care. As long as you give them the book, it's fine.

My college told me I couldn't graduate because there was no record of my turning in my towel in gym class freshman year.

I engaged in an ongoing passive-aggressive war with the librarian at my local library when I was a kid. (She seemed to just dislike me for some reason.) After a while I just stopped going there and mostly depended on the books my best friend had available. Her mother reviewed children's books for a very well known newspaper so that worked out quite well.

I think I have a really old one too.

I've lost my library card. It could have actually been stolen. Pretty sure there's still about $20-$30 of late fees on that card they'll want me to pay before I replace my card. It's been 15 years. Not sure if anyone else has racked up more fees on that card.

Really? Few years ago my public library just waved it off...the University library, on the other hand...

my library no longer charges late fees, and if the items i've checked out aren't returned by the due date, the library automatically renews it & sends me an email with my new due date!

The library I used to work at (and surreptitiously cancelled fines at) recently abolished fines. And we used to get books way overdue - found in dad's attic or something to that effect.

I had a book out in San Bernardino county. I lost my car and couldn’t get to the library. They sent that s**t to collections! I was able to pay it and get it off, but damn, one 15.00 children’s book turned into 100$ in late fees.

Tell me, what public library keeps those kind of records? ps. What's the statue of limitations on late book fines?

I would hold a grudge too if you borrowed something from me and didn't return it.

"Nobody holds a grudge like your local public library" Really? Are you aware of the Balkans? There are people there still pissed off about stuff that happened in the 13th century!

Library had me arrested

My library dropped fines and book returns improved.

my library quit charging late fees w/in the last year or so

OR librarian. Don't ever cross one of them ... they are MEAN and know everything, so they think.

Great book keeping skills

I guess that OP was short for 1 Penny 20 years ago! My husband was a librarian so I know for a fact that they never forget if they lend you a Penny 20years ago!

One local council library in my area has nominal fines, but a couple of times a year they’ll wipe fines in exchange for non-perishables for a food drive. Another local council library doesn’t charge fines and just renews the books automatically until you return them unless someone else has a reservation on it.

I wonder if the Augusta, GA library still thinks I owe them $40ish in late fees from well over 20 years ago.

We’re bored and lonely

The jokes on them. After 20 years that $2.25 is only worth $1.50

What century is this? That's an incredibly small fine for such a delayed return.

I joke about how I've had a library book long enough that if I step foot into the library I borrowed it from, they'll cut my head off.

Tell them you were a child when the fee was incurred and they don't have a legal leg to stand on.

Given how debt accumulates in 20 years, what was the original fine, 0.001 cent?

I remember at uni late fees were by the hour and huge. On the other hand, the cost for losing a book was reasonable, and much less than buying a set text. How could they not predict the outcome of this? I raised the issue of the crazy late fees in a lecture and other students were annoyed at me, saying I needed to get my books back on time as others needed them. I see this point of course, but after a few a few long (over an hour round trip with hills) walks to hand over a book so the person who lived next to me could get it - our halls became a home for 'lost' books. Daft really.

Even the government doesn't hold kids accountable for their parents debt

...b******t. the math is impossible, asshat.