Stealing books from the library?

[Pizzabeak]

Some backstory: (feel free to turn this into a discussion about "karma")

There's this book at the school library, Two Years Before the Mast, and there are 2 copies of it there, both being different editions. But first, sometime last year, we went hiking someplace up north and on our way back we stopped at this thrift store. After doing a general browse of the store, I noticed a book called "Two Years Before the Mast". It caught my attention because I heard a rather catchy song called "Two Years Before the Mast" by Astronautalis. I had not known he titled a song after a book. I flipped through a few pages and quickly gathered that it was a maritime type book, maybe I should have purchased it for cheap there but I decided not to, perhaps for various reasons.
Two weeks ago (at least) in history class, while on the subject of slavery, the professor, during her power point lecture, brings up Richard Dana - the author of "Two Years Before the Mast" - which brought out a little "oh!" from my breath. At least a week before that ^, I was in the school library & decided to see if they had it there, which they did, which sort of explains my excitement during the lecture when Professor mentioned it. She suggest we read it if interested in California's history, although I was interested in reading for at least a few other reasons.
Now there are "Barnes n Noble" editions and what not, but in the library there's a volume I & II, which I read the intros to and they seem like the kind I'd like to place on me own bookshelf, selfish yes, but there's another edition there - an all black hardcover - which will still be there if someone decides to lift the other two volumes. Also, the last time someone checked the books out was apparently September 1987... But as if that's any justification whatsoever.

So, has anyone ever "forgotten to return a book at the library" before? Any tips? Comments, criticisms?

 

[MissQuote]

You will have to pay for the book before you can check more out. You might as well just buy yourself a new copy.

 

[MissQuote]

Actually, if it is your school library, it could be worse. They could refuse you your diploma/degree until you pay! (I don't know if that is true)

 

[C.J_Finn]

Actually, if it is your school library, it could be worse. They could refuse you your diploma/degree until you pay! (I don't know if that is true)

They did this at the school I went to.

Check your local library's used book sale. I always seem to find good things at the one by where I live.

 

[samjonathan]

In my experience, if you keep a library book (or "lose" one), the worst that can happen is that you pay for the library to buy a new copy of the book, in which case you get the cool edition that you want and probably will have to pay less for it than you would in a book shop for them to get a new/not as cool edition of the book.

so pretty much if they don't chase it up:
you get the cool edition of the book and nothing bad happens

if they do chase it up:
you still get the cool edition of the book
you pay for the cool edition instead of paying for the lame edition
you pay less than you would in a book shop for the better edition

i feel it's a pretty winning situation

 

[Minuend]

Things are things. They will never make you happy.

 

[snafupants]

Things are things. They will never make you happy.

There's probably an inverse relationship between the ability for things to make one happy, on one hand, and intelligence and psychological depth, on the other. I mean, the Wittgensteins and Jungs and myriad philosophers and yogis of this world seem completely unaffected by acclaim and wealth and these things whereas the average worker jockeys for and goes gaga over a few more thousand dollars per year via some salary or bonus. You could learn a lot about someone by giving them twenty dollars, or the commensurate gift amount for their economic standing, and waiting for their reaction.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I forgot to return a couple books to two of my old highschool teachers, though one of them ended up leaving the school.

I had already read one of them when I got it, and I figure the least I could do is actually read and finish the other book(belongs to the one who left).

 

[Architect]

Yes, when I was younger and irresponsible.

Two Years Before the Mast is a great book.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

Two Years Before the Mast is nothing special. I remember we had to read it in like sixth grade or sometime around then. It was fairly interesting because it tells about Dana's travels all the way from Hawaii and up the West Coast (if I remember the plot correctly). But it's not some famous book and I'm pretty sure the only reason we read it is because our city was maybe 30min-1hr drive from Dana Point. But yeah, steal it if you like. I don't think they'd get too upset over a book that hasn't been used in 24 years mysteriously vanishing.

 

[psion]

I have a history textbooks from grades 8 and 11, but other than that I haven't stolen anything. I generally just go to thrift stores or used book sales to get books, and sometimes my university library gives away old books. I would advise against taking anything from a public library, they can't really threaten people with much to get them to pay for what they took, and they are having a big issue with funding lately (I used to work at a public library until my job was cut).

 

[MissQuote]

There's probably an inverse relationship between the ability for things to make one happy, on one hand, and intelligence and psychological depth, on the other. I mean, the Wittgensteins and Jungs and myriad philosophers and yogis of this world seem completely unaffected by acclaim and wealth and these things whereas the average worker jockeys for and goes gaga over a few more thousand dollars per year via some salary or bonus. You could learn a lot about someone by giving them twenty dollars, or the commensurate gift amount for their economic standing, and waiting for their reaction.

I gave an old bum $20 once and his face lit up better than a child on christmas and he started hopping up and down and gushing and tearing up like it was the first time he had been told that he was loved in years.

 

[Vrecknidj]

There's probably an inverse relationship between the ability for things to make one happy, on one hand, and intelligence and psychological depth, on the other. I mean, the Wittgensteins and Jungs and myriad philosophers and yogis of this world seem completely unaffected by acclaim and wealth and these things whereas the average worker jockeys for and goes gaga over a few more thousand dollars per year via some salary or bonus. You could learn a lot about someone by giving them twenty dollars, or the commensurate gift amount for their economic standing, and waiting for their reaction.

That said, there have been times in my life where $20 or $200 would have made a HUGE difference to me, and times when even $2,000 would have not really affected me.

Wealth, well, money in particular, is a big deal if you're homeless, or starving, or in terrible debt, or whatever.

Acclaim I can live without.

Dave

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

After you read it/them, if they sat on your shelf for several years, completely untouched, would you return them in the same manner?

 

[Minuend]

That said, there have been times in my life where $20 or $200 would have made a HUGE difference to me, and times when even $2,000 would have not really affected me.

Wealth, well, money in particular, is a big deal if you're homeless, or starving, or in terrible debt, or whatever.

Acclaim I can live without.

Dave

Well, my statement was very simplistic. People do experience an increased feeling of happiness when aquring more wealth, but only to a certain point. After that it makes no difference. So yeah, bums are probably, on average, a tad more unhappier than the others.

 

[Cavallier]

I went to high school in a tiny little conservative western US town. When I left a I took all the books from the library that I liked because at the time I thought nobody else but me would give a damn about them. They felt like they were mine anyway.

Now I feel a bit bad about it because I wonder if I robbed the kids that came to school and felt the same way I did about the place from the sorts of books that might have kepts them sane during their inturnment in that hell hole.

 

[xbox]

Yes multiple times. I still have some comic books from my middle school. :/

 

[AlisaD]

You steal books from libraries on purpose - you go to a special place in hell. A place where your soul is made to read a phone book over and over and over again for the rest of eternity.
Seriously, though, it's like steeling candy from babies, except that the candy is potential knowledge and wisdom.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

No.

 

[samjonathan]

i just realised it sounded like i steal library books and i just wanted to say that i don't, i probably could without feeling bad if i wanted to badly enough, but i don't, i haven't even read all the books on my shelves, my friends though... i've witnessed many a book become misplaced in their careless hands

i actually hate the idea of library books.. they're like the prostitutes of the book world, in my mind, i have nothing against other people reading them though, they just make me uncomfortable

 

[travelnjones]

I have stolen books. Books are not things books are the wrapper of ideas. That said the reason I have taken books seems less tempting in the world of the internet. I didn't want to lose someone's idea or phrase. Sometimes they are just too dear to lose, but that isn't much a reason anymore.

More generally yes things will make you happy. The right things but yes you need things to be happy. I have reached something like the state some call Nekkhamma, and was thankfully able to get back. It was nearly two weeks of blissed out acceptance that I hated. The relationship with things I was very aware of was, "Why would I want this thing? Do i want to be a _____?" For example why would i want drums I don't want to be a drummer. The flip side is where the truth lies. Yes I do want a nice keyboard for my computer I do want to write. Yes I do want a nice blank book to write my thoughts in. I want to be a writer. Yes I do want my dice I want to be a roleplayer.

My point, if there is one, having things related to the path in life you want to follow is a good thing. If you like astronomy having a telescope is a good thing. You can use it an enjoy yourself.

 

[Dragonmythos]

Back in my earlier days I had a bit of a kleptomaniac streak. I stole from school. I stole from my parents. I even stole from my friends' houses every time I went for a visit. I was always the model student. No one could ever suspect me of wrong doing. I was virtually flawless. I didn't care if I had use for the object in question. If I liked the look then I took it. Over my early years I have stockpiled beakers, decks of cards, brushes, colors, books, pins, wallpaper, and various small objects.