Surely this cant be right RE library book

[NannyL]

Ok... today i was taking library book back to library...
in the car park the book fell out of my bag and landed in a shallow puddle.... luckily the book had one of the librarys book protector things on which could be wiped clean
the edges of the pages are a little damp, and the only page where the actual words got wet was the front title page (ie a bit no one reads)
Not so much as one word in the story is wet.
So i took the book back into the lirbary and apologised that the book was wet cause i had dropped it in a puddle. They said ok it will cost you ?6.99 (the RRP of the book)
while i accept that i have slightly damaged the book, the book is absolutely not unreadable, and has been borrowed by at least another 12 people before me so was not in as new condition when i borrowed it.
Also the same book i can buy brand new in Asda (pretty much next door to the librray) for ?3.73 (excatly the same)
they said its not their policy for the borrower to replace the book themselves
also i know for a fact that in this country, if you damage something for sale (ie in a shop) they can ask you to pay for it, but can only expect you to pay the price it costs them, NOT the price they sell the product for.
I personally cant believe that the library pay full price for books? maybe they do, feel free to correct me if im worng...
Im just so cross.... i read about 2 - 3 books a week (95% library books) i always return them on time, and i feel insulted that they want to me to pay £6.99 for a book that was tatty when i borrowed it / costs £3.73 brand new and is still perfectly readable by anyone else
anyone know where i stand?

(i dont mind contribuitng to the cost of a tatty book btw)

As far as I know you have to pay the cost it is to them.

Renew the book, take it home and dry it out, then return it.

bran, that's what i would've done

My friend is a librarian and, yes, they pay full price for books, which are bought from specialist library suppliers. So I guess you'll have to pay up.

i'm with bran. just say it was like it when you got it!library are being way harsh imo. we've done much worse to books and owned up and never been asked to fork out.

My friend's dd lost a book, the librarian told her not to worry about it. Absolutely no mention of paying for it.

DS ripped their label off and they said it was alright - and just stuck another label on. He had also ripped off some of the cover too.

my dd1 wrote all over one of my library books. I usually keep them out of her way and she usually knows better but she was tracing round the letters (she's only 3). I was dreading taking it back because i was embarassed. I walked in fully intending on paying the price that was on the cover but the staff told me not to worry, these things happen and wouldn't take a penny! I think your library is being a bit harsh.

We've been charged full whack for ds' library book that got damaged at school by water (?!)

When I was a librarian, I wouldn't have charged for a book with only superficial damage - I'd have taken the book and told you I'd let you know if it didn't dry out Ok.

However, if it had been damaged so that it was unusable, the library has to pay for the book plus a new jacket, plus the cost of re-accessioning it - barcode, labels etc & the staff time involved.

well ion the end i Didnt give the library the book back

i have a week until it is due anyway

the book i curently drying in my airing cupboard.... i really cant see a reason for it to not be reissuable when its dry...

gonna take it back to a different library (probably with both charges in tow ) and see what happens