Library lets patrons play DDR to avoid late fees
by Kyle Orland 
{ Feb 6th 2008 at 4:00AM }
We've heard plenty of stories of libraries lending out video games, or using them to attract patrons, but this Nashua Telegraph story about expunging late fees with a quick play of Dance Dance Revolution is unique in our experience.According to the story, the library's annual "Patron Appreciation Day" let attendees avoid their overdue fines by donating non-perishables to a local soup kitchen or playing a quick game of DDR. The exact pay-for-play system wasn't discussed in detail, but 16-year-old Arienne Stearns apparently needed a "C" grade on her dance to erase $14 of fines from her record.
Not that you had to have overdue books to play -- apparently, many girls "took second turns competing against the librarian, just for fun." This is a good deal, because from what we've heard, you haven't really experienced DDR until you've played it against a librarian ...
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ThornedVenom @ Feb 6th 2008 4:16AM
Lap dances to erase fines, I get.
DDR dancing, I don't.
xeleion @ Feb 6th 2008 5:03AM
Totally agree with that.
Chase @ Feb 6th 2008 4:19AM
It could just be me, but I'd rather pay the 14 dollars, than play Dance Dance Revolution. This seems to be the librarian's attempt at public humiliation of offending borrowers. Though it could be worse. It could be a public reenactment of Barney's Hide & Seek.
ThornedVenom @ Feb 6th 2008 7:39AM
I don't believe so, since you can also be a total badass at DDR.
Furthermore, DDR was popular in arcades because it was more entertaining than humiliating... although that varies from point of view.
I guess that the humiliation factor would only be present if pros danced often on that particular machine.
MD/V @ Feb 6th 2008 4:38AM
Now if only the IRS offered this instead of paying fines on my overdue taxes...
mailbox @ Feb 6th 2008 9:48AM
What if one of the elders die when playing DDR? Could their family press charges?
Martez @ Feb 6th 2008 11:20AM
Messed. Up.
n0v4 @ Feb 7th 2008 6:52AM
Actually, I love the idea. Makes young people do some exercise and breaks the stereotypes of libraries, kinda...