In the latest case of an overdue borrower narrowly averting a trip to jail, an arrest warrant was issued for a Tennessee man who checked out two titles from the Sevier County Library System in December.
Library director Resse Ripatti told the July 7 Mountain Press that the warrant was issued because the books came from the statewide Tennessee Lending Center, which was preparing to bill the library almost $210.
Although Robin Aletras returned the books and paid a $30 late fine, he said he was told the warrant could not be dropped until he paid a litigation tax. Since he didn’t have any cash when he approached the authorities, he was taken to jail and given a misdemeanor citation.
Aletras said he never received an overdue noticed because his house had burned, and the books, which he had left behind in a broken-down car, were the last things on his mind. He added that he planned to start purchasing his books—“I’m afraid to check anything out right now.”
Posted July 19, 1999.