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 ...

Tags: dancing, dane-dance-revolution, DDR, Konami, late fees, LateFees, library

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.