me and my friend the library

I feel like the library and I have a one-sided friendship.

I take and take and take.... use its facilities, rent its books and movies, read its magazines and newspapers... and it gives and gives and gives without expecting anything in return.

I'm not totally sure what I give to the relationship.

At this point, nothing.

I've often thought the library can be compared to a wimpy friend who lets you take anything from him, anytime, without even saying please or thank you.

When the library doesn't have the books I want I'm annoyed.

When the library reminds me gently that I have to return the books/movies I borrowed, I get defensive and don't want to return them.

Usually, it's because I haven't read or watched them yet.

Example: This morning, I discovered one of my movies is overdue, "America: The Story of Us".

I have already renewed it once. The NYPL website said I can't renew it again because someone has it on hold. Naturally, I don't want to return it because I haven't finished it. And terribly, I sort of feel entitled to keep it as long as I want...

Does anyone else out there treat the library as miserably as I do? Maybe I'm alone on this one. Maybe everyone but me is nice to the library. On the "Friend to the Library" scale, I would rank maybe... 2/10.

In any case, I better get my butt up, and return this movie.

Off I go. Until next time.