LINCOLN SQUARE — During its latest fine amnesty, Chicago Public Library has received $500,000 worth of returned materials, including a copy of Hermann Hesse's "Steppenwolf" that's been overdue since 1987.
A typewritten note accompanied the long missing paperback, which made its reappearance at the Lincoln Park branch:
"I have been a good steward of this item for the past 29 years," the scofflaw said in the note the library shared with DNAinfo.
The tardy reader added that the book is in reasonably good condition and survived several moves.
"I needed it for class," the author offered as an excuse, and signed the note, "Mea culpa."
On Feb. 4, the library announced it would waive late fees on books, CDs, DVDs, etc. handed over by Feb. 18.
That deadline has been slightly extended, according to library officials.
After closing on Thursday, patrons can still have fines forgiven on items returned to overnight book drops — under the cover of darkness for those too ashamed to show their faces — until libraries reopen Friday morning (hours vary by branch).
Seriously, whatever you're hoarding, it can't be any worse than the five-foot-long receipt one parent tallied — twice as tall as the two-year-old responsible for most of the overdue books.
"It is quite easy to rack up fines with a toddler," the youngster's father explained to staff at the Greater Grand Crossing branch.
"They can read so many picture books at once that it can be hard to keep track of them all. Our family had accidentally accumulated over $40 in fines, and right now every penny counts," he said.
One 11-year-old boy has had to assume a false identity for the past year, after his sister notched $11.75 in late fees using his card.
He emailed the library his gratitude for the amnesty:
"My sister refused to pay the fines and instead told me to use her card, which had no fines on it. So, for the past year, I have had to pretend that I have a GIRL's name to check out library books. How humiliating! Now I can finally stop pretending to be a girl and use my own library card again."
One family's receipt for waived fines was five feet long. (Chicago Public Library)
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
