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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[–] [email protected] 88 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (7 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.

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[–] [email protected] 29 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (8 children)

How is that not criminal destruction of property? Some of those books may not even be replaceable. 😠 You could also say criminal intimidation of protected minority groups by an obviously targeted political act.

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[–] [email protected] 42 points 3 weeks ago

"Dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen." - Heinrich Heine

Book burners have never once been on the right side of history.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Take away his library card!

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[–] [email protected] 75 points 3 weeks ago

Same as it ever was.

[–] [email protected] 35 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Wait...is this for real?...Typically there is a limit to how many books you can check out...

[–] [email protected] 34 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

At my library, that limit IS 100 books.

My kid regularly has ~60 books checked out. It's kind of a problem lol

[–] [email protected] 20 points 3 weeks ago

But what an awesome problem to have!

[–] [email protected] 8 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Have they learned about the wonders of interlibrary loans yet? (And Anna’s Archive, if they don’t mind digital…)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

Kinda? We have a couple library groups and they get books held from them and delivered to the local member library. No digital since they're young and we're trying to minimize screen time.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

After "fuck this maniac," this was my second thought.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

This should be charged as a hate crime or incitement

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago
[–] [email protected] 50 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

He’s aware that the whole book burning thing was something that the German Nazis, the one various nations had a war with, did, yeah?

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 weeks ago

They are well aware. They are following the same playbook.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 3 weeks ago

These people think the only bad thing that the Nazis did was lose. They think the Nazis were too soft, and they intend to me much stronger this time around.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I’m not German. So obviously I can’t be a Nazi.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago

"ThE NaZiS wErE sOCiALiSt aNd iM nOt SoCiaLiSt"

[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes. These people know exactly what they're doing.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago (4 children)

The thing that actually genuinely confuses me is the fact that most of these people are proud that we beat the German Nazis.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Stare into the abyss for long enough, and the abyss will start staring into you.
Or whatever that means.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 weeks ago

Pretty sure it's a reference to goatse

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago

Cognitive dissonance is their standard mode of operation.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I don’t think this is a particularly bright segment of the population we’re talking about here.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 weeks ago

Neither were the original Nazis, to be fair. Stupid people tend to admire stupid people who unapologetically flaunt their stupidity.

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 3 weeks ago

What a horrible human being. If destroying books or repressing knowledge is part of your dogma you are on the wrong side of history.

[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

It's almost more shocking that the library allowed to check out all those books. There can't be a legitimate reason to do so, even if he said he needed to reference them all for a thesis or something like that

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 weeks ago

Yeah the limit at my library is 14, which is more than generous even if you happen to be researching a topic for a report / thesis etc.

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[–] [email protected] 64 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

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

Pretty sure Destruction of Public Property is a crime in most jurisdictions.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

The library should be taking this douches nozzle to collections, and replacing the destroyed materials.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I think that's the point. But legally they have to wait for them to be overdue. At least that's my understanding.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Shouldn't be too long, most libraries have a 4-wk lending period.

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 3 weeks ago

Sounds like a hate crime to me.

[–] [email protected] 94 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Good thing it wasn't a Tesla, then "the man" would be doxxed by mainstream media outlets, he'd be tried as a terrorist, and the cops would have been deep into investigations before the sun came up.

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