h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yes, the library had a brick in the post this morning. Very strange, and somewhat unsettling behaviour, as this happened once last summer as well. A shoe box containing random pages from The Sun 'news'paper to cushion the brick, which we opened expecting it to be small books returned by post.

It cost the loony who sent it 7.20 in UK pounds, which is ridiculous. We assume someone has a grudge against the library, but what kind of message is a brick supposed to be? And should we be more hesitant about opening further anonymous parcels?

This is a strange place!

I think I would be a bit concerned about this. Did anyone talk to the police about it? Is it a ploy to get you to open heavy parcels with gay abandon in the expectation that it's a ticking brick?

Do you have a building fund? Maybe it's a donation. When they come round to collect donations for the school swimming pool I give a bucket of water.

A bucket of water? I like that!

Sadly, no building fund, although the library does need a new building. If we ever get one, it'll be funded by the University College.

Our abandon in opening packages we're not 100 per cent sure of is going to be severely curtailed. The police is an option, but what would they do? We talked to Royal Mail and the parcel cannot be traced.

The police, I guess, will probably have produced a leaflet on dealing with strange parcels. They may also be able to brief you on what to look out for when a parcel is dodgy.

I have to say I pity the poor postman carrying bricks around in his sack!