Having worked in books for my entire working life, my collection became a "free for all". They were passed around and only occassionally I'd get them back. Two people still have books of mine, multiple books, and have had them for over two years. The belief was from them that because I worked in books, I must have gotten them for free. No matter how many times I corrected this myth, I was never believed. Books are not cheap and I have a lot in my collection that are special, signed copies, first editions, etc. I've had them come back with wrinkled covers, one even came back with chocolate smushed between the pages. So I completely understand your grrrrrr. I'm really careful who I lend them out to now.....well, it's pretty much just my mum now!