You better return that book...

The New York Times ran an article not long ago about whether a library fine should appear on a person's credit report. A Queens man sued after a $295 library fine showed up on his credit report. He won on a technicality that did not distinguish whether a library debt is a legitimate debt that can show up on a person's credit report. So the question is still whether a person who runs up a bill with their local library should be further penalized on their credit. I say yes. If you check out materials you have no desire or intention to return there should be a penalty. I know my library system will send the bill to a collection agency if it is not paid. (I will say I don't know what the fine threshold is before this happens or the time frame involved.) There has to be a penalty involved. Libraries are such an important resource that to let people think they can check out materials and never have to return them hurts all the people who follow the rules. Since no precedent was set in this case since it was a technicality that overturned the credit report, I am curious to see how it plays out in the next case brought to trial. That is if there is a next case.