jbug, this is currently happening to me and I too dropped the book in the outdoor receptacle! Never again! It's even at a library that I no longer live near, and I am currently having to call them from another state to ask them to keep checking their shelves for the book. I wouldn't doubt someone stole it, it's a nice big expensive cookbook. I am horrified that I might have to pay them so much $ for a book I know I was responsible with!

I'm hopeful that I have a similar outcome, though I don't have to worry so much about losing my privileges ahaha I now use a different library system. I just don't want the late fees to go to my credit.

Ugh I just wish libraries had better systems to figure out what happens to all these books we return and they "lose!"