Bookstore theft

Yesterday a colleague of mine was talking about a promotional idea he had to show how monetary valuable libraries are... He thought it would be great PR to print the value of books people checkout on their checkout slips. So if I checked out the latest Harry Potter today it would read something like Due August 15, 2007 - and you just saved $35.00 by using your home town library! And I would then think -- wow this library thing is so cool. I can use that $35 to put half a tank of gas in my car!

I really do think this is a cute idea -- it would show people some monetary value to using their local libraries. Academic libraries could even use this as a way to tell students -- SEE! look where those student libraries fees go! Now just calm back down and go back to facebook. Of course I also joked that some folks may take it as an opportunity to sell library books online -- "These 5 books are worth $400?!? w00t! Look out intertubez heres I come!"

But I also think this xkcd comic kind goes along with yesterday's conversation -- I mean you don't have to worry about this at the library. ;-)