I didn't return my library books for almost four years – this is what happened
I took out books from the Edmonton Public Library (EPL) nearly four years ago and never brought them back. This is what happened when I finally returned them.
First of all, I’ll explain what happened. In February 2020, I took out four books with the full intention of returning them when I was finished. In my selection were two fiction books and two vegan cookbooks from my brief “health kick,” which was blown out of the water as soon as the COVID-19 pandemic hit (because, let’s be real for a moment, who’s trying to be “healthy” when the world as you know it is crumbling all around you? I chose to take the Uber Eats approach instead.)
As the world shut down, so did the library, and for a time, nobody could even return books due to uncertainty of how the virus could spread. I held onto the books, read one, and soon forgot that they were even in my possession.
Once life went back to normal, I’d pass by my bookshelf and occasionally glance at the books with EPL barcodes, making a mental note to myself that they needed to go back. I did this for nearly four years, each time feeling more embarrassed and worried about a fine I’d have to pay for my extended possession of library property.
Allison Stephen/Daily Hive
The library has always held a special place in my heart. Whether it was spending hours in the children’s section while my dad read books about sports or, when I got older, searching for new titles or a text required for a course and wasn’t willing to fork up $70 at the university bookstore. It’s an essential resource for me and many others in Edmonton, and I respect what they do, so the thought of facing library staff, overdue books in hand, felt all the more shameful.
Once I finally came to terms with the fact that the books needed to return home, I figured, why not turn my mistake into a lesson for others?
So, what exactly happens when you don’t return your library books on time? It’s not nearly as intimidating as one might think.
For one, Edmonton Public Library decided to waive its return fees in 2019, as explained by Mary-Jane Bilsland, branch manager of the Stanley A. Milner Library downtown.
“The reason we did that is because it was really impeding access for people who could easily be considered the least able to afford returning and paying for fees,” Bilsland explained.
“So, it was disadvantaging children; it was disadvantaging those who had maybe not the means to restore their account to a zero balance.”
Bilsland explained that the primary goal of the library is simply to have the books returned. EPL allows users to take out materials for up to three weeks, with the option to extend that twice, for a maximum of nine weeks.
“Each circumstance we treat as unique, and then we try to work with the customer to try and find a solution… We are more than willing to just walk away from fees; what we care about is those materials coming back.”
So, loaded with all this knowledge, I finally returned my books and was stunned to see they were still in the system. A machine scanned and returned them into the system, so I didn’t even have to shamefully face another person – although, as I have learned, the librarians would have been happy to see me anyway.
The return machine blew my mind. Allison Stephen/Daily Hive
They even have this wild sorting system at the Stanley A. Milner Library, where returned books are auto-sorted into their respective categories. How cool is that?!
Allison Stephen
So, if you have some old library books kicking around, don’t be afraid to return them! The library is a fantastic resource that nobody should be intimidated by, and the Edmonton Public Library has done a tremendous job of keeping this vital space open and accessible to all.
You can learn more about the Edmonton Public Libraries’ return policy here.