this post was submitted on 11 May 2025
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Summary

A man checked out 100 books from Beachwood Library in Beachwood, Ohio, covering Jewish history, African-American history, and LGBTQ topics, and later posted social media videos showing the books with captions referencing “cleansing” libraries before burning them.

Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative alerted the library about the posts.

The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.

Police say the matter is civil unless he fails to pay. He is now banned from returning to the library.

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[–] Initiateofthevoid@lemmy.dbzer0.com 76 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (4 children)

The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.

Police informed CCPL that, because a contract was entered when the books were borrowed, failure to return or pay for the books would become a civil matter turned over to the city prosecutor.

Should the man return to the Beachwood Library, he will be banned from the property.

Shoutout to libraries. Absolute diamonds in the rough. Burn books? Whatever, people don't return books all the time. When they're overdue, here's the bill, next!

We don't live in the age of books anymore. Shit like this is ignorant and fascist but also just symbolic. Libraries are cornerstones of a free society, but the physical paper itself isn't nearly as important anymore. It's hilariously replaceable.

I want the list of books. "Banned" and "burned" books go hard as hell. Maybe even files for the m@tes to get 'em all at once. The modern age can undo all this idiot's work with a single link.

[–] frezik@midwest.social 9 points 12 hours ago

We don’t live in the age of books anymore.

We don't, but there's problems with only relying on electronic information that can be swapped out at any time. Don't have to burn the information when you can make it say whatever you want.

[–] Case@lemmynsfw.com 3 points 11 hours ago

I worked at an elementary school (public) in a very red state.

I had been overhauling the library computers (I was IT) all day and had been chatting with the librarian. Cool chick, probably 10 years older than me, so late 30s. I was dating my wife at the time, so I wasn't looking to date, but got invited out for drinks with other librarians from the district.

After a few rounds, the topic turned to censorship, book bans, etc.

Every single one of them, from the churchy prim and proper lady, to the more alternative types, we against banning books and discussed how to get the kids access and and encourage them to read them, without losing their jobs.

I had to shutdown their plan to distribute cheap flash drives with banned material on them a la guerilla distribution - ie, leave it where kids would find them.

And that is why next week Mr. Case's cyber security BS thing was about how we don't plug random shit we find in to computers.

[–] TriflingToad@sh.itjust.works 35 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

The books were worth about $1,700. Since they are not overdue, the library will bill the man later.

honestly that's hilarious as fuck 😂

[–] sfled@lemm.ee 13 points 17 hours ago

Librarians are pretty chill, unless you're a loud talker hehe

[–] Bassman1805@lemmy.world 14 points 17 hours ago

"Banned" and "burned" books go hard as hell

Every library I've been to in the last 5 years has had a poster of "banned books" specifically to advertise them because people (especially teenagers) love that shit.