The Library (Seinfeld)

"**The Library**"
"The Library"
Seinfeld episode
Episode no.	Season 3; Episode 5
Directed by	Joshua White
Written by	Larry Charles
Production code	304
Original air date	October 16, 1991
Guest appearances
	Philip Baker Hall as Lt. Joe Bookman; Ashley Gardner as Marion; Harris Shore as Mr. Lippman; Biff Yeager as Mr. Heyman; Cynthia Szigeti as Sherry Becker; Neal Lerner as Guy in the Library (The 'Shusher');
Episode chronology
← Previous; "The Dog"	Next →; "The Parking Garage"
	Seinfeld (season 3)
	List of episodes

"The Library" is the 22nd episode of the American NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It was the fifth episode of the show's third season.^[1]

Plot[]

Jerry learns he has a library fine from 1971, for the book Tropic of Cancer, and that the "case" has been turned over to the library investigations officer, Lt. Bookman. George arrives at the library, and suspects that the homeless man on the steps outside is Mr. Heyman, a physical education teacher at his high school whom he reported for giving him a wedgie, which got him fired. Jerry pays Mr. Bookman, and Heyman holds the dilapidated long-lost copy of Tropic of Cancer at the alleyway. Kramer flirts with the librarian, Marion, starting a forbidden affair with her.

Elaine is concerned that Mr. Lippman is planning to fire her, so after she sees Kramer crying over Marion's poetry, she takes some of it, trying unsuccessfully to impress Lippman with a new literary find.

As a note, the 42nd Street branch of the New York Public Library in Manhattan (also known as the Stephen A. Schwarzman Library) is not a lending library; rather it’s a research library. At the time of this episode, the lending library is the 40th Street library nearby called the Mid-Manhattan branch.

Reception[]

Philip Baker Hall's role as a lieutenant, whom he played in imitation of Jack Webb's Sergeant Joe Friday of Dragnet fame, was very well received.^[2]^[3] It was considered to be one of the best guest appearances on Seinfeld,^[3] and led to Hall receiving many other offers of work.^[3] It was rated as one of his most memorable performances.^[4] When the New York Public Library decided to eliminate late fees in October 2021, it posted a satiric piece in its blog, supposedly written by another character of that episode (Sherry Becker), wishing Mr. Bookman a happy retirement.^[5]

References[]

^ "Seinfeld Season 3 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
^ "Seinfeld: "The Dog"/"The Library"/"The Pen"". TV Club. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
^ ^a ^b ^c Wenner, Daniel Kreps,James Montgomery,David Fear,Kory Grow,Gus; Kreps, Daniel; Montgomery, James; Fear, David; Grow, Kory; Wenner, Gus (July 8, 2014). "And They're Spectacular! 10 Actors on Their Memorable 'Seinfeld' Roles". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
^ "Philip Baker Hall on The Chicago 8, Seinfeld, and Paul Thomas Anderson". Film. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
^ "Happy Retirement to the Library's Own Lt. Joe Bookman". New York Public Library. October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.

External links[]

"The Library" at the Internet Movie Database

[tvguide-1] "Seinfeld Season 3 Episodes". TV Guide. Retrieved December 2, 2021.

[2] "Seinfeld: "The Dog"/"The Library"/"The Pen"". TV Club. Retrieved December 11, 2020.

[:0-3] Wenner, Daniel Kreps,James Montgomery,David Fear,Kory Grow,Gus; Kreps, Daniel; Montgomery, James; Fear, David; Grow, Kory; Wenner, Gus (July 8, 2014). "And They're Spectacular! 10 Actors on Their Memorable 'Seinfeld' Roles". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 11, 2020.

[4] "Philip Baker Hall on The Chicago 8, Seinfeld, and Paul Thomas Anderson". Film. Retrieved December 11, 2020.

[5] "Happy Retirement to the Library's Own Lt. Joe Bookman". New York Public Library. October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.

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v t Seinfeld episodes
Season 1	"The Seinfeld Chronicles" "The Stake Out" "The Robbery" "Male Unbonding" "The Stock Tip"
Season 2	"The Ex-Girlfriend" "The Pony Remark" "The Jacket" "The Phone Message" "The Apartment" "The Statue" "The Revenge" "The Heart Attack" "The Deal" "The Baby Shower" "The Chinese Restaurant" "The Busboy"
Season 3	"The Note" "The Truth" "The Pen" "The Dog" "The Library" "The Parking Garage" "The Cafe" "The Tape" "The Nose Job" "The Stranded" "The Alternate Side" "The Red Dot" "The Subway" "The Pez Dispenser" "The Suicide" "The Fix-Up" "The Boyfriend" "The Limo" "The Good Samaritan" "The Letter" "The Parking Space" "The Keys"
Season 4	"The Trip" "The Pitch" "The Ticket" "The Wallet" "The Watch" "The Bubble Boy" "The Cheever Letters" "The Opera" "The Virgin" "The Contest" "The Airport" "The Pick" "The Movie" "The Visa" "The Shoes" "The Outing" "The Old Man" "The Implant" "The Junior Mint" "The Smelly Car" "The Handicap Spot" "The Pilot"
Season 5	"The Mango" "The Puffy Shirt" "The Glasses" "The Sniffing Accountant" "The Bris" "The Lip Reader" "The Non-Fat Yogurt" "The Barber" "The Masseuse" "The Cigar Store Indian" "The Conversion" "The Stall" "The Dinner Party" "The Marine Biologist" "The Pie" "The Stand In" "The Wife" "The Raincoats" "The Fire" "The Hamptons" "The Opposite"
Season 6	"The Chaperone" "The Big Salad" "The Pledge Drive" "The Chinese Woman" "The Couch" "The Gymnast" "The Soup" "The Mom & Pop Store" "The Secretary" "The Race" "The Switch" "The Label Maker" "The Scofflaw" "The Highlights of 100" "The Beard" "The Kiss Hello" "The Doorman" "The Jimmy" "The Doodle" "The Fusilli Jerry" "The Diplomat's Club" "The Face Painter" "The Understudy"
Season 7	"The Engagement" "The Postponement" "The Maestro" "The Wink" "The Hot Tub" "The Soup Nazi" "The Secret Code" "The Pool Guy" "The Sponge" "The Gum" "The Rye" "The Caddy" "The Seven" "The Cadillac" "The Shower Head" "The Doll" "The Friar's Club" "The Wig Master" "The Calzone" "The Bottle Deposit" "The Wait Out" "The Invitations"
Season 8	"The Foundation" "The Soul Mate" "The Bizarro Jerry" "The Little Kicks" "The Package" "The Fatigues" "The Checks" "The Chicken Roaster" "The Abstinence" "The Andrea Doria" "The Little Jerry" "The Money" "The Comeback" "The Van Buren Boys" "The Susie" "The Pothole" "The English Patient" "The Nap" "The Yada Yada" "The Millennium" "The Muffin Tops" "The Summer of George"
Season 9	"The Butter Shave" "The Voice" "The Serenity Now" "The Blood" "The Junk Mail" "The Merv Griffin Show" "The Slicer" "The Betrayal" "The Apology" "The Strike" "The Dealership" "The Reverse Peephole" "The Cartoon" "The Strongbox" "The Wizard" "The Burning" "The Bookstore" "The Frogger" "The Maid" "The Puerto Rican Day" "The Chronicle" "The Finale"
Indicates two-part episode