Ohio man checks out library books on Jewish, black, and LGBT subjects...then burns them

What's his name - they conveniently left that out or I couldn't find it.

Also, what books were they? Not exactly Pulitzer Prize-winning journalism happening here.

Ohio Man, as much as you try, you will never out-crazy Florida Man.

Did he do this because he wants to feel aggrieved and victimized by due process and the legal system?

Police are only investigating, so his name may not be released. And the library probably won't release his name either (wise move) because one article said:

[quote] Police informed Cuyahoga County Public Library that, because a contract was entered when the books were borrowed, failure to return or pay for the books would become a civil matter turned over to the city prosecutor.

You can check out 100 books from a library at once? I'm not saying I'm Sherlock Holmes but if a bald white guy came to the front desk with a wheelbarrow full of books about minority groups I'd have questions.

Let's not take the bait. Thats all they do. All they do is bait us and we keep on indulging these yahoos.

That's gonna earn some late fees.

R6 A lot of libraries have self-checkout now. Apparently this one does as well. From the Internets:

[quote] Cuyahoga County Public Library (CCPL) self-checkout kiosks are available at all 27 library branches. To use them, you can scan your library card or app's virtual library card, then scan your items. You can choose to print a receipt, receive an email receipt, or choose no receipt

I just donated $500 to the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation, Beechwood Branch, to help purchase replacement copies of these books.

I encourage others to donate as well.

[quote]You can check out 100 books from a library at once? I'm not saying I'm Sherlock Holmes but if a bald white guy came to the front desk with a wheelbarrow full of books about minority groups I'd have questions.

R6 - Nobody said he checked them all out at the same time. Maybe he made multiple visits.

Set *him* on fire.

Notice how it's always conservatives and right-wingers wanting to burn and destroy things.

The last leftist book burning was....when?

Imagine if there was a giant book burning of Trump's books, Fox News hosts' books, etc. The right would lose their fucking mind and never see the hypocrisy of their response.

I'm a librarian and this mentality is really creeping in at the edges. I'm nowhere near retirement but the behavior, attitude, and moronic antics of people like this are all making me wonder about my future. After 20 years, you cannot fathom how awful patrons have become and it's not just jaded old me. It used to be the occasional drunk or some entitled jerk but now everyone is unhappy all the time, with hair trigger temper tantrums. Patrons chafe at rules no matter how much libraries have changed and evolved. We do not, for instance, charge late fees anymore. While I've had my problems with the younger set coming in (everything is a problem and they're always late) I don't envy their future. Many libraries are increasing self-service -- not to reduce staffing expenses (this field pays pathetically low), but to minimize interacting with patrons. Me? I like the challenge of turning angry and complaining patrons, but I also know when it is futile to continue doing so.

And we all know how, why, and by whom people feel empowered to gang up on those of us who -- honestly, sincerely, and without a bit of cynicism -- just want to serve the public.

Thanks, MAGA.

R14 - part of the problem are companies and institutions that allow shitty behavior everywhere with no consequences.

People feel empowered because they ARE. If there was any real threat of being banned or otherwise inconvenienced for their behavior, they wouldn't do it.

Anecdotally, I saw a rise in complaints in the 90s and early 2000s. I read article after article about 'the squeaky wheel gets the grease' and people advocating making complaints. Then people took it way too far.

One hundred used library books would probably be well under the threshold of small claims court in Ohio.

R17 - The staff member at the Cuyahoga County Library told me the value of the destroyed books was approximately $1,700.

I've been to this library. I took my grandma there a few tines to check out books. They has a nice selection of current releases in large print.

Arrest this mofo and give him a nice prison sentence.

Freedom!

To burn books!

I would never be in Beachwood, Ohio.

Here is some additional information about the incidents from another news report. It provides answers to some of DLers' questions/assumptions.

On April 2, the man went to the Beachwood Library branch, 25501 Shaker Blvd., and applied for a library card. Once the card was approved, the man checked out 50 books on topics that included Jewish history, African-American history and LGBTQ education.

The following day, CCPL heard from the Princeton University Bridging Divides Initiative (PUBDI), a group that monitors and reports suspected hate crimes on social media. PUBDI informed CCPL that the man posted a photo to a site on April 3 that showed a car trunk full of books with a caption relating to “cleansing” the libraries. The books in the car trunk photo appeared to match those the man had checked out, and they had Cuyahoga County Public Library stickers on them.

On April 10, the man returned to the Beachwood Library and withdrew 50 more books on similar topics. During this encounter, the man told a librarian that his son was part of the LGBTQ community, and that he was trying to learn more about it. The librarian found his behavior to be “odd and concerning,” but he did not make threats.

Shortly after PUBDI again contacted CCPL, this time stating that the man had posted a video to social media in which he was burning all 100 of the library’s books.

The books again all appeared to match the theme and titles of the books the man had taken out. The video shows one book with a Cuyahoga County Public Library sticker on it and matched one of the specific books the man had checked out.

The 100 books totaled approximately $1,700. As the books were not yet overdue, the library will wait until they are overdue and then send a bill to the man. Police informed CCPL that, because a contract was entered when the books were borrowed, failure to return or pay for the books would become a civil matter turned over to the city prosecutor. Should the man return to the Beachwood Library, he will be trespassed.

A classic cartoon.

R18 Thanks for the follow-up. And that makes it well under $6000 (small claims in Ohio).

Nice seeing a vintage DLer on this thread, if I am right

Peace K. Take care.

This is upsetting. I’ve joined libraries everywhere I’ve lived and frequently visited them when I was traveling. A couple times, once in France and once in Denmark, I was even given a library card and allowed to check out English books though it was obvious that I was a backpacker and only there for a short time. Without exception, every librarian I’ve encountered has been welcoming and helpful.

“Where they burn books, they will ultimately burn people also."

I don't understand the anonymity if it's on social media already. Maybe its an unidentifiable handle name?

r14 How can libraries afford to buy new items, repair books, maintain the building or pay staff if they don't charge late fees? I can't imagine library associations raising enough money to do so.

This happened in Iowa a few years back and the guy publicly burned the books.

My sister lives in a city that's been known in the past for having really good library services. A city of 100,000 with one large main library and four branches.

The pandemic, of course, changed how they operated, but what happened is that some of the changes became permanent. One branch is basically a drop-in center. You can access the library there, but if you go there, it's non-stop socializing mainly among teenagers who take up all the space and talk on their phones non-stop. It's noisy as hell and you can't really use the place as a any kind of quiet place to read or study.

Another branch didn't re-open until last year and it's now gone totally self-serve. It's only "open" two days a week. To get inside, you have to register with your library card and provide a thumb print. When you want to use the library, you call the day ahead and make an appointment, so that you get put on the approved list. No one under 18 can go there without an adult. For the door to open, you put your thumb print on a reader. I'm not even sure there's a security guard there, because the application says you're on security camera at all times and warns that there's no one there to call 911 if you have an emergency.

Also, the main library only allows patrons to stay in a work space for two hours. That's to prevent homeless people from camping out all day long.

Name him and shame him.

OK, so if the library replaces these books, good for the authors!

Isn't this destruction of public property?

R29, my library said that the late fees money went to the state Fish & Game Department. Totally random.

R10, I donated too. Just a widow’s mite but I wanted to support them. Thank you for providing the link.

R36 - Thanks for helping out! Every little bit helps, and I believe the NUMBER of people responding with support is far more important than the AMOUNT of funds donated. For me, $500 was the biggest FU I could afford to send a message to all the hateful MAGAs out there that whatever nasty things they do, the rest of us will band together neutralize their hateful actions. I certainly don't feel comfortable giving to the DNC at this time, and this donation was far more meaningful.

Also, remember the lesson we are to take away from the Widow's Mite: What you gave may have constituted a bigger "Give 'til it Hurts" for you than my donation did for me.

I can donate 10 years of classic Blueboy magazine for them to add to their collection.

R29, our budget is funded by a municipal endowment, state aid, donations, and investments. Most municipal libraries have accounting, payroll, HR, health insurance coverage, legal counsel, etc. performed by the city and town. We're a 501(c)(3) so a lot of these jobs are performed by Admin. Library fines were considered revenue but constituted less than 1% of the budget so not a huge loss in revenue but much goodwill, with surprisingly very, very little loss. Customers still have to pay for lost or damaged items. The library makes money from copying and printing, fax and notary services, and room rentals (quite a bit, actually).

Ask your local library for a copy of the budget; it can be interesting to see how libraries finance operations based on your tax dollars.

^^From R14^^

I was standing in line at the Dollar Store (go on, I’ll wait) and the woman ahead of me was buying a ton of candy, $40 worth, and telling the cashier that every couple months she’d make up a tray and bring it to the library for the staff. I’ve heard of people bringing food to hospital staff but that’s more of a bargaining chip.

[quote] How can libraries afford to buy new items, repair books, maintain the building or pay staff if they don't charge late fees? I can't imagine library associations raising enough money to do so.

Property taxes, I pay $166 in library taxes this year.

It blows my mind that patrons can check out 100-150 books from a public library at once. They could deplete an entire topical section or all of a particular author(s) works. I can't see the need for someone who isn't a researcher to have so many at once.

I am a researcher and certainly don't want 100 - 150 books at once. I'd be overwhelmed.

Another librarian here. I’ve been at it 30 years, and I’m retiring next month. I’ve spent my whole career advocating for libraries, promoting them, giving speeches and presentations all over the country, and I’m done. I had always planned to work in libraries until I hit a certain age, but after the last few years, I just don’t have the fight in me anymore. The MAGA nastiness, the book censorship, the budget cuts…I’ve just hit my limit. I still passionately believe in the power and mission of libraries, but it’s time to turn the reins over, hopefully o someone younger who is willing to fight. Even though I’ll get a nice state pension check, I can’t afford to totally retire just yet, so I’m going to get a little part time job somewhere. Maybe with animals. They don’t judge. (Well, other than the cats…)

R29 Cities get creative. Where I live (Long Beach CA), the city charges airlines who land late at LGB airport a fine if they violate noise restrictions (basically, if they land after 10pm). They then send all that money to the library fund.

I imagine the libraries went into a funding crisis once JetBlue pulled out of the airport!

I love libraries and I say doxx the tarnation out of this man. Tell the world exactly who he is and where he lives.

R13