Woman Jailed Over Library Books

[sbp]

http://www.msnbc.com/local/wbre/m170740.asp

HAZLETON, Pa., April 12 - Three overdue library books have helped turn Theresa Dawn Keller's life into a novel tale of crime and punishment.

The 24-year-old woman from the former coal mining community of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, was jailed this week after the local public library got fed up with waiting for $120 in late fees and decided to throw the book at her.

''I don't recall this ever happening before,'' Hazleton Public Library director James Reimiller said on Thursday.

Keller, described by authorities as a drifter who recently listed a halfway house as her residence, borrowed three books in September 2000, including a Star Trek novel and ''The Fall of Freddie the Leaf,'' by self-help guru Leo Buscaglia. She never returned them.

Under library policy, unreturned books with fines of $50 or more become subject to the state criminal code after three months, and collection is turned over to a district magistrate. Fines include the cost of the unreturned books, the cost of their replacements and a $10 processing fee for each.

''It's the only way some people will return their books, unfortunately,'' Reimiller said.

The library, which has 16,000 patrons, files 10 to 12 complaints a month with the local district magistrate. In the eight months ended Feb. 28, it collected $8,500 in late fees.

Keller, who changed addresses several times after borrowing the books, was jailed on Monday in lieu of $750 bail after failing to respond to a library theft charge and an unrelated harassment charge before District Magistrate Joseph Zola.

''The library wants $120 or the return of the books. They'll accept the return of the books,'' said Zola, who has scheduled a hearing in the case for April 18.

Keller remained behind bars on Thursday at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility in Wilkes-Barre, about 100 miles (160 km) north of Philadelphia, where a prison official said she had declined interview requests from the news media.

--------
In short the book was thrown at that scofflaw!

[TheBurningCat]

*runs of to return books*

[Richard Cranium]

In the eight months ended Feb. 28, it collected $8,500 in late fees.