“Amnesty For Little Book Lovers”

All young readers in New York City, hide no more: For one day and one day only (Thursday), the city's three major public library systems are offering unconditional amnesty to everyone age 17 and under who has been charged with late fees. All money owed for overdue or lost books and DVDs is officially wiped clean for these kids and teens. As the New York Public Library makes clear, this is no small deal. The system says nearly 20 percent of the library cards owned by kids and teens have been blocked because of these fines. The JPB Foundation, a philanthropy focused on helping low-income communities, has pledged to help with the substantial revenue loss that goes along with this fine forgiveness — which comes out to about $2.25 million. But it doesn't last forever. Starting Friday, the standard fine system resumes. Still, who knows, maybe Thursday's moment of mercy might bring some seemingly long-lost books out of the woodwork — as another forgiveness program did in San Francisco. Perhaps they'll find one to beat the book recovered after 80 years! .

In Other News The Los Angeles Dodgers nailed down the National League championship and a trip to the World Series Thursday by beating the Chicago Cubs 11-1 to take the series four games to one. The Dodgers were in charge all the way. Their biggest inning was the third, with four runs on a grand slam by Enrique Hernandez. He also hit two other homers and joined nine other players, including Babe Ruth, who have hit three home runs in one postseason game. Los Angeles will play the winner of the American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros. The Yankees lead three games to two in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 is Friday night. This winter is going to be a warm one for the majority of the United States, according to forecasters at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. They say that the La Niña weather pattern is likely to develop. That means "greater-than-average snowfall around the Great Lakes and in the northern Rockies, with less-than-average snowfall throughout the Mid-Atlantic region," Mike Halpert of the Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday.