Renee in NC Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I pick up books from a branch near my office. If I'm crunched for time, I'll get dh to return them to the branch nearest our home. So that's one reason it may occur. But as long as the books are returned to the correct county, the librarians don't care which branch they're returned to. This is actually the county next door to us - we pay an annual fee because it's an awesome system with awesome employees. If I had to rely on the library of the county we live in, I'd have to buy most of our books. Same here. Same library system that I pay for! (Different county that I live in that has bad library system.) When I request a book, it could come from anywhere and I pick it up at the closest branch. When I return it, it may go back to its home branch or to one of the many others. I LOVE the library system and the one where I am moving seems comparable in number of books and ease of requests/holds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MomLovesClassics Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I had a fine of $108, not for books but late fees. I was very sick in the hospital, and was too sick to take car of it. When I did get better, I was so embarassed of the large fine, I waited a long time to pay it. I could have purchased all the books that were late and then some. I really hope the library put the money to good use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our library won't let you "find it yourself on the shelf" when disputing a book. They say people "find" their book on the shelf to avoid paying fines on late books. We have to make a dispute and then let the librarian find it. There was two magazines one time that they said I never returned. I knew I did return it. So I went in there and told her that I would like for her to go with me to find it. She wanted to charge me $15.00 per lost magazine. So she did go with me and we found both magazines. She said whoever checked on them didn't do a very good job. So they deleted all the fines and charges for those two magazines. This was at the library where they are very nice and helpful. Small town library... The big city library wouldn't let you do this. They want you to pay regardless. They are very ruthless. I only use them if I can't find the book at the small town library. Holly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConnieB Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I am amazed how many times this happens to people.....They need a new system for returning books.....like a scanner that prints a receipt, LOL. Our library has just that....you put each book/dvd/cd onto a conveyor belt it scans the book, moves it into the back of the machine (inside the library) and actually sorts the item into a bucket as to which library it needs to be returned to (our library has 14 branches and you can return things to any of them, and put holds on from any of them). Sounds great right? Ummmm, most of the time. But we now keep our receipts for a few weeks, lol. We returned a whole bag of stuff, got our receipt and thought we were done. THe following week when I checked our account to see what was due back that week, every single one of those were still listed as checked out and many were overdue! Thankfully we found the receipt on the floor of the car, lol......and took it in to prove we'd returned them. Apparently the computer had a problem of some kind that day and they're had to restore it....and you guessed it, the restoration was from before we (and hundreds of other families) returned their books. The staff was scrambling for weeks locating books that had been returned. What a nightmare for a million dollar (literally) technology that was supposed to help! And according to the newspaper's report on this (yep, it hit the newspaper so many people were affected and angry), it wasn't the first time it had happened, and staff said it won't be the last! The other library systems we use don't have this, so you are at the mercy of dumping your books into a bin and hoping they get checked in. I'm not thrilled about it and notice that every summer it gets worse......hmmm, think there's a connection between teen volunteers who don't want to be there and books not getting checked in properly? Our courts regularly dole out volunteer work for teens in minor trouble with the law....and the library is quick to take the "free" labor, especially now with the cutbacks. One of my kids volunteers in the winter while most kids are in school....you have to reapply each semester for a position and last three summers he doesn't get selected in summer, because they have to give the kids who need the hours for court priority. Sad. To the OP, as others have said, definitely ask them to check for the book. If they still don't find it, request an explanation for the charges.....our libraries all charge an extra fee for the work involved in purchasing and processing a replacement. There is actually quite a bit of work involved before a new book arrives on your shelf. But, $20 is a bit high for such a fee, unless it's because they also charged you late fees for a certain amount of time (ours are all 2 weeks) before they bill you. Our libraries will all allow you to purchase your own copy, but ask before you do this as some of our libraries have requirements (same edition, i.e. library binding vs what your local Barnes & Noble may have....some will accept used in very good shape, others require brand new, etc.). Typically you can find it cheaper than they can purchase it since they can't bargain shop on the Internet but have to go through a clearing house that charges full price. Whatever you do, don't let this go without either resolving it or paying for it......a neighbor decided she wasn't going to pay for a book she knew she'd returned.....just stopped using that library card (used the kids' card instead)......and they sent her account to collection! Apparently it went on her credit report for 7 years too. Yikes! I would not want to explain to my husband that we didn't a car loan because of an outstanding library fine, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our system requests this in the children's section. They'd rather the kids leave the books on the tables than reshelve them improperly. One of the first things taught to children who use our library is to pick up one of the free paper bookmarks near the door as they come in, and write their first initial or other picture/symbol on one end(or bring their own bookmark). Then they are shown how to slide the bookmark into the place on the shelf where they take out a book. When they're finished looking through the book, they find their bookmark sticking out, take it, and replace the book in it's place. I like it. Not only does it teach the kids a bit about putting the book back *where it belongs*, but it sort of self-limits the amount of books they have off the shelves at once. Oh, and if they decide to check the book out, they know that they can then remove the bookmark and move on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Our system requests this in the children's section. They'd rather the kids leave the books on the tables than reshelve them improperly. Our library has signs all over the library asking people not to reshelve books but to put them in baskets located around the library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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