Library demands fire victim pay for destroyed books

[proud2BlibKansan]

SHAWNEE, KS (KCTV) - A devastated Jasmine Heinson watched her home go up in flames.

She was overjoyed and broke down in tears last month when firefighters searching through the rubble of the Fox Run Apartments discovered precious memories and photographs of her mother. This included her mother's wedding ring.

As she works to rebuild her life, she has discovered that many businesses are benevolent. Both Time Warner Cable and AT&T are letting her out of her contracts early and not charging her for equipment lost in the blaze.

Then she encountered the Johnson County Library System. The library wants the University of Missouri at Kansas City student to repay the costs of books destroyed in the blaze.

more . . . http://www.kctv5.com/story/17142379/library-demands-fire-victim-pay-for-destroyed-books

[midnight]

1. Hmm. I wonder if the library's insurance can replace the books...

[Logical]

2. I do not see an issue with this....

Her insurance will cover the books. If she had rented a tool from home depot they deserve to be paid also.

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. If AT&T and Time Warner can forgive her debt, so can the library

This is beyond petty.

[Justice wanted]

4. agreed.

[Logical]

5. Then let's ask the shingle company replace the shingles also!

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. Well, just like the library, I'm sure the shingle company has INSURANCE

[TheMadMonk]

8. Not the same thing at all. We're not discussing HER losses.

But the loss of property in her possession owned by others.
Also in terms of houses on fire, a book equals bugger all. A phone handset is 0.01% of value lost. A set top box? 0.05% perhaps. A leased solar array (a VALID comparison) might be 1 or 2 percent of the total 100 times as much. It would also include mandatory insurance against certain types of loss, because expecting the leassee to cough up $5000 - $10,000 on the spot is as futile as pissing up a rope.

AT&T and Time Warner get it. The dollar value of goodwill is worth a couple of bucks.

FFS a library should want to bend over backwards to not alienate "customers". They're few and far enough between as it is these days and rapidly getting fewer.

[TheMadMonk]

7. No. She just wouldn't get her deposit back and they'd replace...

...it through their own insurance, because they'd lose more chasing her and her stonewalling insurer.

Once upon a time libraries would have had the decency to wait for her insurance to come through, not go her when she likely has no money for getting.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. The fire was just a few weeks ago

They haven't given her much time at all.

[hobbit709]

14. Not everyone has renter's insurance.

She's a student living in an apartment, not a homeowner.

[Logical]

16. And that is the library's fault?

[Lizzie Poppet]

10. I have no problem with them requiring payment for the books.

I have no problem with them requiring payment for the books. They were in her possession and were her responsibility. I do, however, think the library should be patient and wait for her insurance to settle the claim.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. And I find it incredibly petty

I'm also sure the library has insurance.

[Logical]

12. Are you serious? You think maybe the deductable might be more than $100? This is where....

liberals start sounding silly.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. What do you suppose AT&T's deductible is? They forgave her bill.

A local radio station was all over this story today and flooded the library with emails and phone calls protesting this decision. Very stupid on the library's part. It's called compassion. I pay taxes to this library system and I want to see them behave in a compassionate manner.

[Logical]

15. Jesus, I get tired of this stuff........

I pay taxes also and think the LIBRARY did not start the fire! Of course you can always find people who will be mad at the library for doing nothing wrong except wanting their property back or paid for.

I am sure the library could use the funds also.

I am calling the library now to provide my support.

[hobbit709]

17. I pay taxes too and I would not begrudge the cost of replacing the books due to a calamity.

Evidently you think the library is more important than a person.
If you had ever suffered a disaster like this, it might change your way of thinking.