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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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5

SF Library Offers Amnesty to Tardy Book Borrowers

But each has to cough up an excuse

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(Newser) – A book amnesty program in San Francisco has inspired many guilty returns and a few entertaining excuses, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The city's public library offered tardy borrowers the chance to return items, fine-free, as long as they came with an excuse. Returning a record 29,228 items worth $55,165 in fines, book-lovers coughed up a few memorable explanations:

  • A class of second-graders said they were too busy saving marine mammals.
  • One man fell out with his sister, who "accidentally" put the movie Babe—which she had borrowed in his name—in his DVD stack.
  • One woman borrowed a book on Jewish love for help with her relationships, but after three affairs sputtered, she figured the book was no good.

A group of second-graders, responding to an amnesty program at the San Francisco Public Library, said they were too busy with marine mammals to return a book.
A group of second-graders, responding to an amnesty program at the San Francisco Public Library, said they were too busy with marine mammals to return a book.   (Shutterstock)
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5 comments
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mindgammon
Jun 14, 09 6:55 PM CDT
what breaking news Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
Jun 15, 09 1:50 AM CDT
for an actual news story read here http://www.economist.com/world/mideast-africa/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13849342&source=features_box_main
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flame821
Jun 14, 09 7:20 PM CDT
But I bet a few of those excuses they received were real winners. Would love to see the ones they couldn't print on this site. Reply
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TerrifiedCitizen
Jun 14, 09 11:02 PM CDT
I read all my books online now and have dispensed with the stress of excuses altogether. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
Jun 15, 09 1:51 AM CDT
hope you eat your share of carrots
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