Library late fees

I love libraries. I really do. One of my first posts was all about how great they are for saving money on entertainment. But today my library let me down, or maybe I let it down, but whatever the case, there is a strain in our relationship now.

I usually check out items on Saturdays, since it’s rare I’m in the city during the week while the libraries are open. I had last Friday off, though, so I stopped by our branch and picked up a few books and DVDs. This morning, I remembered that the DVDs are due after a week.  I logged onto my NYPL account and renewed everything. But one DVD wouldn’t renew. Furthermore, it wasn’t due today. It was due June 9th, four days ago and just three days after I’d checked it out. So at $1 per day for every day its late, I now owe the New York Public Library four bucks.

Here’s the part that really gets me: This DVD wasn’t some amazing documentary or artistic tale. I owe the library $4 because of Hairspray. No, not the cool-kitschy ’80s one. The one from 2007. The one with Zac Efron and John Travolta. John Travolta, in drag:

So I’ll have to go to the library tomorrow and put on my Minnesota-nice smile and try to work my magic on a good-hearted librarian. If that doesn’t work, I’ll be coughing up a $4 penance for my poor judgment in choosing movies and my lack of attention toward the check-out receipt. Between this and the bus ticket, it’s beginning to feel like NYC as a whole is against me lately.

Quick, somebody write something positive about libraries in the comments. Maybe that positive karma will help me tomorrow as I try to get out of paying my late fee.