Two ruined library books :(

[AnnE-girl]

I usually don't allow my kids to have library books at the table while we're eating so they don't get food on them and we don't get charged to replace them. Tonight both DH and I broke that rule. And of course tonight was the rare time I spilled, my condensation-covered glass of red sangria slipping out of my hand and spreading across the table, splashing both my book and DH's. At least the glass didn't break, but I'm pretty sure we're going to have to pay for the books. Our library is pretty strict about any stained pages. The wine smell probably won't help either. Grrr. So mad at myself.

 

Edited to add: I realized I should probably add that I hadn't even taken a sip of wine yet when it happened.

Edited June 26, 2017 by AnnE-girl

[Liz CA]

Something similar happened to me once and I ran to Amazon to replace the book only to find out the library would have preferred to handle it differently - probably my paying a certain amount or something. So...don't replace unless you are sure of library's policy.

In my case they accepted the replacement after some back and forth and lectured me on their policy. At least now I know not to rush to replace.

 

[cjzimmer1]

Something similar happened to me once and I ran to Amazon to replace the book only to find out the library would have preferred to handle it differently - probably my paying a certain amount or something. So...don't replace unless you are sure of library's policy.

In my case they accepted the replacement after some back and forth and lectured me on their policy. At least now I know not to rush to replace.

 

My library told me that the books for the library have a different binding than what is typically sold for retails copies so if you lose or damage a book you just have to pay the full replacement amount.  They won't accept for you to bring a copy in because they know it won't hold up as well as the kind they buy.

[Tanaqui]

Many libraries won't take any old copy. Better to fess up and pay the cost in cash. You can offer to replace it, but they probably won't take you up on it.

[Ausmumof3]

It's annoying. I had a stack of library books on my bedside table and my dd came to me in the middle of the night. "I feel sick". And blurgh the library stack became a spew tower...

 

I definitely wasn't returning them to the library so it was a rather expensive vomiting session.

 

However our library do allow you to replace the book yourself as long as its new and it's generally cheaper than paying the library lost book fee. The best strategy is to go and show them what happened to the book. Sometimes they appreciate the honesty enough to offer some kind of compromise because many people just put them through the slot and hope for the best.

Edited June 26, 2017 by Ausmumof3

[Stacia]

Go in & be honest about what happened. Most likely you'll have to pay to replace the books, but maybe they'll be flexible on any processing fees that may be added.

[HSmomof2]

Take the damaged books in with you. I work in a library, and this happens all the time. Our library doesn't charge for damaged children's books, unless the book is brand new and is the first check out. They will charge for lost books and can't accept replacements from Amazon.

[marbel]

Our library allowed me to purchase a replacement from Amazon, as long as it was the same isbn. It was way cheaper!

This has been my experience too.

[Rachel]

I've had to replace a couple books, it stinks but thankfully it hadn't ever been one of the $100+ art books. I view it as supporting my library. We check out hundreds of books per year, to only have had to replace a couple over the years isn't too bad.

 

We did luck out the time my son dropped a video player on tile and it quit working properly. The library did not charge us and those things were expensive!

[SparklyUnicorn]

That's always a bummer.  One kid lost a very expensive CD once (was for a language learning program).  Cost me $100 to replace it. 

 

Sorry!

[Cinder]

Our library doesn't accept replacements; you have to pay. Plus they add a $10 processing fee. Or at least that's what it was 10 years ago; it's probably gone up since then. Thankfully we've only lost one book in the 12 years we've lived here.

[happypamama]

Our library is very kind. They understand that things happen. They only charge $5 for children's books, and they readily admit that sometimes children's books have really low quality bindings and don't hold up. I've had to pay for a few books that got a little too much love. I think it's only $10 for adult books. Accidents happen. I'd take it in, show them the damage, apologize, and let them decide what is too much. If you need to replace the books, then ask if you can provide your own or not.

 

The only time I've had a problem was when I borrowed a Great Course set from one of the other libraries. I managed to misplace one of the CDs. Totally my fault. I had no problem with replacing it and readily offered to do so. They wanted to charge me $50 because of that one CD (and then I would have owned the whole thing, I suppose, but it wasn't one I really needed to keep), which I thought was ridiculous because GC has a generous replacement policy. I asked them to look up replacement cost for one CD but never heard back, and then my life blew up, and I didn't have time to deal with it. I found the missing CD and took it back to them (I handed it to them directly, with an explanation), but I don't know if they removed the charge or not.

[Bootsie]

When DD was in elementary school and DS was a preschooler, DD brought home a school library book about cheetahs.  DS was looking at it and turned a page a bit too hard and ripped it.  He was not handling the book overly rough, it was just one of those things that happens.  The page was not totally torn; it was a picture page, so it did not damage any text.  We taped over the tear and instead of sending the book back with DD, I took DS in to the librarian to explain what had happened.  I thought maybe the librarian would praise him for being honest and not just leaving it for his sister to take the blame for.  I didn't expect for the librarian to start giving him a lecture on the importance of taking care of library books, how much trouble he had caused a lot of people, and the expense of replacing the book.  She gave him a lecture of how students in third grade have to do a report on animals and many use this book and now they can't do their work (way over 3 or 4 year old's head).  I had to pay for a book replacement and then she handed us the book with the taped page saying that it was totally useless to the library in that condition.  I asked if those students couldn't use the book at least until the replacement copy was there (given what a big deal she made of it) and she said no, we could either take the book or she would throw it in the trash.  (This was not an expensive, encyclopedic type of book, just a basic children's book with mostly pictures and a sentence or two on each page.)  I didn't mind paying a damage fee or to replace the book, but with a librarian like that, it is surprising that any of the children were reading.   

[HSmomof2]

Our library allowed me to purchase a replacement from Amazon, as long as it was the same isbn. It was way cheaper!

 

I'd ask first before buying a replacement yourself. Our library can't accept a replacement like that, and I feel really bad telling someone that when they've already purchased the replacement. (It has something to do with taxes and library funding, as for purchasing materials. I don't agree with it and know it is often less expensive to just buy a replacement on Amazon, but I'm just the messenger.🙂)

[HSmomof2]

When DD was in elementary school and DS was a preschooler, DD brought home a school library book about cheetahs. DS was looking at it and turned a page a bit too hard and ripped it. He was not handling the book overly rough, it was just one of those things that happens. The page was not totally torn; it was a picture page, so it did not damage any text. We taped over the tear and instead of sending the book back with DD, I took DS in to the librarian to explain what had happened. I thought maybe the librarian would praise him for being honest and not just leaving it for his sister to take the blame for. I didn't expect for the librarian to start giving him a lecture on the importance of taking care of library books, how much trouble he had caused a lot of people, and the expense of replacing the book. She gave him a lecture of how students in third grade have to do a report on animals and many use this book and now they can't do their work (way over 3 or 4 year old's head). I had to pay for a book replacement and then she handed us the book with the taped page saying that it was totally useless to the library in that condition. I asked if those students couldn't use the book at least until the replacement copy was there (given what a big deal she made of it) and she said no, we could either take the book or she would throw it in the trash. (This was not an expensive, encyclopedic type of book, just a basic children's book with mostly pictures and a sentence or two on each page.) I didn't mind paying a damage fee or to replace the book, but with a librarian like that, it is surprising that any of the children were reading.

How rude of the librarian....sorry there are some crabby ones around. Sheesh, accidents happen. It's just a book.

[Spryte]

Am I the only one lamenting your untasted glass of sangria? :)

 

I hope the fees are minimal and your librarian is kind about it. Accidents happen.