Since most library books are already "chipped" to set off a sensor when someone tries to abscond with them, why not add a small, cheap display to the back of the book which displays the date the item is due?

The book could emit a tone to indicate that it was due back today, with an increasingly short resettable period, ie, one day overdue, you can shut off the beeping all day. two days overdue, you get 12 hours, three days, 8 hours etc.
-- WanderingKnight, Dec 09 2002

Something like "Nearly there" from [arora]? http://www.halfbake...idea/Nearly_20there
"Warning alarm sounded in nearly overdue library books" [horripilation, Oct 04 2004]

Cute. Just have the chip peep periodically like a flat smoke detector, no shut-off.
-- dalek, Dec 09 2002


And do the library fines go up to accommodate this system?
-- my face your, Dec 09 2002


Do library books no longer have the pocket in which you can insert a "date-due" slip?
-- supercat, Dec 09 2002


The library could e-mail you reminders. As far as finding the book that's due... yeah, it would be nice if it would beep, but it sure does sound expensive.
-- egnor, Dec 09 2002


The book could play a little tune when it gets lonely and hasn't been read...

Or you could put a GPS in the spine and track the movements of books throughout the world that would be cool...
-- Supercruiser, Dec 09 2002


You could get the book to play an irrirating tweety tune, or maybe a cellphone ringtone.

Sadly this would lead to a certain amount of attrition from books being flung from windows, etc.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 10 2002


The library computer should talk to your handheld, and your handheld should remind you about book due-dates as often as you think necessary.
-- horripilation, Dec 10 2002



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