Pregnant Florida Library Patron
Jailed for Overdues
Beverly Goldman, 24, was arrested January 13 for failing to appear in court after being charged with not returning seven children’s books and videotapes she had checked out more than 16 months ago from Clearwater (Fla.) Public Library. Before taking her into custody, police allowed Goldman, who is seven months pregnant, to see her five- and six-year-olds off to school. She spent eight hours in jail before friends and relatives posted bail, and the library dropped charges after Goldman’s family promised to pay the $127.86 she owed for the items, according to the January 14 Miami Herald.
Six days earlier, former CPL-area resident Jeremy Soder, 29, was briefly jailed for failing to return $80 worth of long-overdue materials to the library. According to the Fort Myers NBC affiliate, he has subsequently brought the items back, and Goldman’s lawyers have vowed to challenge the law that allowed the arrests.
The media attention, which included a January 17 appearance on the Today show by Soder and Goldman, has triggered the return of hundreds of overdue items to CPL.
Posted January 24, 2000.
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