Avast ye denizens of Hirsh Health Sciences Library! Exams are a-howling, deadlines are looming, and reserve items are being checked out left and right. In this spookiest of seasons, join me for a moment so I may remind you of a tale as old as the print journals on the 7th Floor. The story of a creature most hideous, most foul, and most dangerous. Of course, I speak of THE BLOCK.

AHHH! Thar he scowls! Be careful, don’t look into his eyes! How does one summon THE BLOCK? Let me share the lore with you.

Now, some say that if you return a reserve item (like a laptop, phone charger, skull, or reserve book) late once, THE BLOCK will follow you for 24 hours after you return the item, and you will be mysteriously unable to check out items from the Library. If you return an item late a second time, THE BLOCK will haunt your nightmares for 7 days, impeding your ability to study and borrow headphones (and other things).

Now, many have tempted fate and survived the wrath of THE BLOCK once, even twice. But beware, should you return a third reserve item late, the foul beast will cast his sharp, cubic shadow over your life for two fortnights!

(You know, you won’t be able to check anything out for one month after you return the delinquent item)

AND THAT’S NOT ALL. If you summon THE BLOCK three times, he will, like Marley’s Ghost, visit your Dean and share tales of your misdeeds.

And finally, if you are one of the foolish few who learns nothing of your third encounter with this reviled, hideous hexahedron, and you dare invite his wrath again, THE BLOCK will rob you of your borrowing privileges for the rest of the semester, and he will darken the doorstep of your Dean again.

And the most TERRIFYING thing of all? Every time you summon THE BLOCK, you wear his mark for the remainder of the academic year. So remember, a late return in September will follow you all the way to next July.

So take heed, as exams approach:

• Try to get some sleep
• Stay hydrated
• Return your reserve items on time, and
• DON’T MOCK THE BLOCK

(The Hirsh Health Sciences Library blocking policy can be found in its entirety here: http://hirshlibrary.tufts.edu/about-us/policies/overdue-items)