Fine by me!

Something you might not know is that library staff are required to pay fines and fees, just like everybody else. Membership has its privileges, but ducking out of late charges is definitely not one of them!

Although I’m normally a squeaky-clean goody-two-shoes in this regard, I’ve been racking up — and paying down — overdue fines lately.  This is primarily because I’ve been enjoying some library items that are so darned interesting, it was worth taking the teensy financial hit to finish them.

Here are a few of the items I just couldn’t return on time:

The League of Gentlemen is a darkly comic British television series about the town of Royston Vasey and its insular inhabitants. If Monty Python and H. P. Lovecraft had a child, this series–whose main plotline revolves around the ultimate “mystery meat”–would be it. If your sense of humor errs on the side of outrageous, you’re bound to love it.

NOTE: Not to be confused with the film version of  The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, which is something altogether different.

Roberto Bolano’s 898-page epic, 2666, is a masterpiece of contemporary literary fiction, and comes highly recommended for those who worry about the death of the novel.  Who is the mysterious author, Archimboldi, and why has he come to Santa Teresa, where hundreds of women are murdered each year? Commit a chunk of your summer to finding out!

 NOTE: I kept this for a full extra week because I simply couldn’t bring it back without knowing the outcome (Flip to the end?  Perish the thought!).

Are you happy?

If you’re in the mood for a quirky documentary, The Inquiring Nuns may well fill the bill. Two nuns walk around Chicago asking random people if they’re happy. The responses are honest, heartfelt, and occasionally uncomfortable. Old-school “reality television,” a little Philip Glass, and a suite of interesting bonus features make for a thoughtful afternoon of small-screen enjoyment. 

NOTE:  Amy thought I would like this one, and she was right–why not visit the Film and Audio Department and let the staff pick out something fun for you, too?

Honesty forces me to admit that I am already several days late with this last item, but I’m not quite finished with the soundtrack to the film 24 Hour Party People.  I’d like to formally apologize to those of you on the waiting list who probably love Joy Division and New Order as much as I do, and I solemnly swear I will pay every single penny I owe for the privilege of making you wait. Karma will, I’m sure, repay me by keeping True Blood away from me as long as possible – library staff don’t get to jump the waiting list, either!

Don’t you feel better now that you know library folk play by the same rules you do? What book, CD, or DVD are you anxiously waiting for? What have you gladly paid fines for so you could finish enjoying it?

–Leigh Anne