773 Lost Books Returned On First Day of Chicago Public Library “Once in a Blue Moon” Amnesty Program
The Chicago Public Library amnesty program (the first in nearly 30 years) began on Monday and so far it’s going well.
The Chicago Tribune reports.
From the Article:
The program is dubbed the “Once in a Blue Moon Amnesty”, as it coincides with the Aug. 31 lunar phenomenon.
The first book returned was “The Reluctant Suitor” by Kathleen Woodiwiss, which was returned to Woodson Regional Library at 9:08 a.m. Monday. It was due in September 2005. Chicago Public Libraries collected 773 lost books — those overdue by more than six months — on Monday. Chicagoans also returned 6,081 items that were less than six months overdue.
“It’s like Christmas for all of us here,” said Ruth Lednicer, Chicago Public Library marketing director. “We get to tell them, ‘Your fine is zero.’ “
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Filed under: Libraries, News, Public Libraries, Reports

About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.