Watching kids for fun
By savypat
@savypat (20216)
United States
July 30, 2011 3:10pm CST
I was at the library this afternoon and chanced upon an insident in which 4 brothers were checking out books with only two cards. They got caught and the library people were very cool and calm about it, but the boys had their story well thought out. Two cards were lost, they didn't have the money to replace them, it was all in the family and they each wanted to be in charge of their own books but had to use the remaining two cards. This went back and forth for severel mins. until the library people, there were two of them, finally took a stand. No card, no books. Any more argument and library membership would be lost. By this time I was trying so hard not to burst out in laughter. The boys finally shrugged their shoulders and walked away, I heard one say to the others, well it was worth a try. Then the library people saw me with a big smile and knew I had seen the whole thing, they also held on to their laughter until the boys had left, then we all had a great laugh. We admired the cocky boys and still were glad that the library had trained their people not to get upset just to hang tough. I was told these boys tried this every two or three months, they can't seem to hang on to their cards.
3 people like this
13 responses
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
30 Jul 11
OMG I didn't find this funny at all. I feel so bad for these kids.I guess its cute that they keep trying to borrow books with a different story. However, I would have stepped in and paid for new cards for the two boys that had lost their cards. When a child wants to read its the best thing in the world, in my opinion. What a shame!
2 people like this
@Chastised_Dreamz (559)
• United States
31 Jul 11
"When a child wants to read it's the best thing in the world," I agree with this 100%. I don't know if I would have paid for it myself because they need to learn responsibility, (I may have paid and told them to take care of the cards and wouldn't do it again for them if I saw that they lost it again) but the librarians should have allowed them to use the same cards if they didn't pass limits.
2 people like this
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
31 Jul 11
Yes I agree they should have due to them all being brothers.
1 person likes this
@catof1 (683)
• United States
30 Jul 11
I think that they the four brothers should be able to get their books even if they do not have a card for all of them. After all they are all from the same family. I did this growing up and no one had any problems with that. My mother used ours since she lost hers and then one of my brothers lost his so they started to use mine. I do the same thing with my husband. Since I have not changed my name to his yet on the drivers license (lack of car and money) I use his, though I have to say he is there when I check out books. It is nice to read about employees acting very calm cool and collected even when faced with 4 brothers I am sure were very convincing.
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
30 Jul 11
When I was young I could not check out adult books on a children's card. I wanted to read adult science fiction and was interested in Dickens, Bronte and Mark Twain. They wouldn't let me read those with my card when I was 8 so my mom had to check them out with hers. I still don't understand why. I wonder if they still have such restrictions. My brother and I used each others' cards, too, with no trouble. Of course, the cards were free and they're free at my library I go to as an adult.
1 person likes this
You would think the two WITH the cards would just check out the books for the two without cards and not say anything.... I used to check out books for my whole family with my card and nobody knew any better.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
3 Aug 11
It is good that the library personel are able to stick to the policies that the library has set forth. However, I think that if the boys are indeed brothers, there really is no reason that one of them cannot check out books for their brother. In our family, I'm the only one that has a library card and I check out books for my husband and children all the time. It is just easier to only have one account in case something is late than to try to balance out four different library cards and accounts.
1 person likes this
@MagicalBubbles (5103)
• Canada
1 Aug 11
In this day and age where kids dont read much and are always glued to their computers, I dont understand why the library charges for a card. Its free here. I wasnt there and I dont know why they wouldnt let the kids have books. They should be happy that these boys are wanting to read instead of sit in front of a computer or tv. It seems they knew the boys, so what if they keep losing their cards. Unless they dont bring the books back, then that would be whole other story altogether!!
1 person likes this
@savypat (20216)
• United States
3 Aug 11
From what I gathered, they were not always good about returning the books and movies, so the brother who's card they used complained that he was always being blamed. Our library is public but is run by a private company since htere has not been enough tax base to support it. This is why cards are not free. I cold tell that these 4 boys had been playing games like this for a while.
@Pose123 (21635)
• Canada
30 Jul 11
Hi savypat, It's good to know that children still use the library. Reading is such a great pastime and an educational experience for children. With so many video games and the like around today, I'm delighted that some of the old ways haven't been forgotten. I agree with you though, it was an amusing incident. Blessings.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
30 Jul 11
What resourceful children! Too bad the card costs money to replace but then, children have to learn responsibility and how to take care of things that are valuable. I'm just glad to see children in the library!
Children are very entertaining. I can't see many where I live because my garage blocks my view of the house across the alley and I'm not on my front porch much in this hot weather but I love to hear them laugh and fool around. What I hate is when they cry because they've fallen down or their friends might be picking on them but for the most part, I love to watch children playing and hear their laughter, they are gifts from heaven.
1 person likes this
@Chastised_Dreamz (559)
• United States
31 Jul 11
Once the cards were lost and not the materials I don't see what the problem is. I understand that there are limits to the amount of books that can be taken out. I think that once those limits are not passed, it should not have been a problem. The library loses money from the children not getting new cards, but once they didn't have balances that need to be paid and the materials were returned they should have been allowed to take out the books.
They should have taken care of their cards, that I agree with, but it's sad that these children wanted to do something educational (read) and were threatened to lose the means to do that because they couldn't afford to replace their cards.
I think that once money from materials isn't owed, borrowing limits weren't exceeded and they have a good history, they should have been allowed to borrow the materials.
1 person likes this
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
31 Jul 11
They are smart little critters weren’t they? Here in Australia you can put up to ten books on the one card and they do not cost anything to replace. My daughter and I often use each other’s cards and whoever can get hers out first is the one who checks the books out. It is interesting to hear how things are done in other countries. Children though are pretty much the same everywhere and will often test the waters to see how much they can get away with!
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27961)
• United States
31 Jul 11
I like that story. I did things like that myself years ago. It is fun to watch kids do stupid things. At one time we all thought we could get over on people. Hey, like the kid said, at least it was worth a try. LOL. It is a funny story.
@QeeGood (1213)
• Sweden
31 Jul 11
I think there is an important point in this. You need to have a responsibility to know where your card is to have the permission to borrow books at the library. You borrow books, which you have the responsibility to know where they are until you have returned the books to the library.
1 person likes this
