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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to think that people who write in library books should be shot?

59 replies

TheArmadillo · 12/04/2007 13:44

Every time I get books out the uni library someone has always underlined stuff or, even worse, written comments in the margin. Some of them even do it in biro

AIBU to think all these people should have painful punishments inflicted upon them

I don't care about their opinions. I don't want to see what they thought was interesting/useful about the book. I don't want to be distracted by the lines they draw that obscure the stuff I actually want to read.

SO AIBU (apparently my friends at uni think I'm a little overzealous about this).

But argh

OP posts:

Iklboo · 12/04/2007 13:45

Hanging's too good for 'em!!

No, seriously - I hate this too. It's vandalism

hunkermunker · 12/04/2007 13:46

If they want to draw in books they should buy their own.

Marina · 12/04/2007 13:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

kittylette · 12/04/2007 13:47

are there not any doodles of willies to cheer you up?

makingdo · 12/04/2007 13:48

Message withdrawn

willywonka · 12/04/2007 13:49

Don't think you're being unreasonable to be pissed off by people writing in library books. Do have more of an issue with shooting the culprits though...that said, I'm just a bleeding heart liberal

Original poster

TheArmadillo · 12/04/2007 13:49

glad to see I am not the only one.
Its what post-its are for. There is no need to write in books whatsoever, especially library books. Some people have no respect.

I usually point it out to our librarians if it is particularly bad, but I don't think they have any way of finding out exactly which previous user it was. SO can't do much about it.

HAve these people no respect for others property?

OP posts:

compo · 12/04/2007 13:51

I have had to go through many a book in our public library and rub out pencil scribblings

Original poster

TheArmadillo · 12/04/2007 13:51

what about a little painful torture? Is that more reasonable than shooting do you think?

OP posts:

SaintGeorge · 12/04/2007 13:51

Folded corners .

Bookmarks people, use bloody bookmarks!

A scrap of paper, a piece of string, anything - just stop folding the sodding corners over!

Rant over. I thank you.

turquoise · 12/04/2007 13:52

We make em pay

I also get very cross about books coming back reeking of smoke and covered in wine/coffee rings (bit of an occupational hazard in a college library).

willywonka · 12/04/2007 13:52

Was that as part of some form of community service, compo, or just goodwill on your part?

As for torture, reckon that anything involving the pen or pencil used to commit the offence is probably justifiable

makingdo · 12/04/2007 13:53

Message withdrawn

willywonka · 12/04/2007 13:53

tbc, would still rather see writing in a library book that a bogey - what's that about?!

zippitippitoes · 12/04/2007 13:54

I can't imagine librarians being very good shots

RustyBear · 12/04/2007 13:58

Sometimes you do know who it is - we used to have various people who would underline or circle a certain page number in a book, so that they would know that they'd read it (you'd kind of think they'd remember the story & if they didn't would it matter?)
We knew who most of them were but mostly they were pensioners - we'd say 'please don't do it' & they'd smile & say 'Oh, sorry' & short of getting out the sub-machine gun there wasn't much else we coud do....

Original poster

TheArmadillo · 12/04/2007 13:59

I found blood stains in one

OP posts:

lucyellensmum · 12/04/2007 14:11

unreasonable? no - i hate that too.

extreme? well, maybe just a little!

warthog · 12/04/2007 14:13

they should be castrated so that in a couple of generations the world is rid of these disrespectful flouters of all that is decent and good.

Lilymaid · 12/04/2007 14:17

Zippi
I would be a magnificent shot and I'm a librarian. I once chased a book thief down four flights of stairs and a busy road in the City to retrieve a text book he had stolen.
What about those kind souls who razor a vital article out of a journal?

Boco · 12/04/2007 14:20

Could you start a petition, saying 'keep people who write in books out of public libraries and other places where there are books also'.

or just go straight to

'shoot people who write in books'

I'm also a bit of a bed wetting shandy liberal ponce, so i'd only sighn if it was

'Inflict paper cuts on those who write or other wise mark books'.

i get annoyed if i see a book left spread open so that the spine is being damaged too.

Original poster

TheArmadillo · 12/04/2007 14:21

They do what . Remove a journal article!

Lots of our library books in the past year have 'gone missing' It was never as big a problem before this year .

OP posts:

Indith · 12/04/2007 14:23

No! not abusing books!

Though I did once want to seek out and hug the person who had obviously done the same ssay as me and so had underlined all the important bits. Best mark I ever got on an essay that was!

ILoveDolly · 12/04/2007 14:23

all defilers of books should be made to pay. i nearly keeled over in shock when my OU tutor suggested i WRITE in the margins of my textbooks. i think i said something frosty about thats what post-it notes are for. but i know that i am a freak . that said i did once find a great history book on edward II with 'this book's rubbish - the king dies in the end' written on the title page. vandalism's OK if it's funny!

MrsBadger · 12/04/2007 14:24

I'll match your people who write in library books and raise you people who use fluorescent highlighter to pick out their line in choral scores

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