Is it possible that my library lost 4 books??

[staceyobu]

Because I can't find them anywhere in my house and I am 98% sure they were returned. I could believe I lost ONE library book... but four? I have moved furniture, checked kitchen cabinets, checked our bookshelves, checked the garage... I seriously don't think there is anywhere left to look! I checked them out at one branch and returned them at another. Sigh.

[RoughCollie]

Here's how you find them, a real tried and true method.

 

Call the two libraries. Ask them to look for the books. When they say they don't have them, insist that you returned them. Tell them you are going there to talk to the librarian.

 

Before you leave, take a quick look around. The books will appear! If they don't, go out to your car. Look in it.

[ElizabethB]

Because I can't find them anywhere in my house and I am 98% sure they were returned. I could believe I lost ONE library book... but four? I have moved furniture, checked kitchen cabinets, checked our bookshelves, checked the garage... I seriously don't think there is anywhere left to look! I checked them out at one branch and returned them at another. Sigh.

 

Yes, I would look for them on the shelves of both branches. This happens eventually if you check out a lot of books, but some library systems are more prone to do it than others.

 

When we lived in Arkansas, our local librarians were very good, it took over a year of checking out a lot of books every week before they did that. When I returned them, they apologized and I told them no problem, they were actually better than most library systems and that I was very happy with them overall. Next time I had a late movie, my fee mysteriously disappeared!

 

My library in Virginia did this at least once a month, they were the worst for that, although they were pleasant and helpful otherwise and always very nice about it.

[staceyobu]

Can they tell if they have MY missing books as opposed to another copy? Some of the books have four copies. Can they tell which one was checked out to me??

[Mommy22alyns]

Yes, I would look for them on the shelves of both branches. This happens eventually if you check out a lot of books, but some library systems are more prone to do it than others.

 

 

 

:iagree: We had this happen with a whole huge stack of books. They refused to let me check out some books because we had a huge fine, and I was bewildered and pretty peeved. DH got the receipt and we went and found every single one of them on the shelves. :glare:

[ElizabethB]

Can they tell if they have MY missing books as opposed to another copy? Some of the books have four copies. Can they tell which one was checked out to me??

 

They should have slightly different codes, they should be able to tell.

 

Of course, it is also possible that small children hid the books in an obscure place, that has also happened to me...

[staceyobu]

They should have slightly different codes, they should be able to tell.

 

Of course, it is also possible that small children hid the books in an obscure place, that has also happened to me...

 

Okay... good. Yeah, I'm worried they were just stuck somewhere random... but I can't think of where else random to check! I even pulled mattresses off of box springs and cushions off the couches.

 

Will they check the shelves for me? Or do I need to go look?

[meggie]

Our library has been known to "miss" the books we returned when they were put in the book drop. When they were still on our account several weeks later, we'd call, they'd look, they'd apparently find, and late fees and the books were removed from the account. So yes, it is possible.:)

[ElizabethB]

Okay... good. Yeah, I'm worried they were just stuck somewhere random... but I can't think of where else random to check! I even pulled mattresses off of box springs and cushions off the couches.

 

Will they check the shelves for me? Or do I need to go look?

 

If you insist you are sure you returned them and ask nicely, they should check for you, but you will have to call each branch separately.

 

The last time my children hid any books, they were at the back of the linen closet with the spare fabric pieces.

 

The last time I hid any books, they slipped under passenger seat.

 

The last time my husband hid library books, they were stacked in a random pile of books and papers.

[RoughCollie]

Will they check the shelves for me? Or do I need to go look?

 

I'd go look only if they didn't find the books when they checked. That happened to me once.

[anneofalamo]

a good way to have them really check shelves is to request them with another library card in your home!

 

I sadly have found library books months after believing I returned, under a cookbook, one in my desk calendar,

but our library kept renewing (sweet ladies who support our love of books)

and I have found numerous ones we returned on their shelves...I go look for them...and they appreciate that too!

 

good luck!!

[Sun]

It's possible that they didn't check them in when you returned them, but whenever I'm absolutely, positively, 100% sure that I returned a certain book, it invariably turns up in a very random spot a few weeks later.

 

I'd definitely ask the libraries to check, but I'd also doublecheck all bags, backpacks, and bookshelves around the house.

 

Good luck!

[Sara in AZ]

Yes, completely possible. I ask my library to do a search on books all the time. They're happy to double check for me, and they quite often turn up on the shelf. They recently did some major remodeling and we had several problems during that time.

 

Even with all that checking, you don't know want to know what my fines are, though!

[Margo out of lurking]

I work at our county library. Yes, it's possible you turned in the books, and there are so many possibilities.

 

I would definitely call both branches and ask them to do a shelf check. If they don't find them, then I would look myself. Each book has its own bar code, but that code may not be available to you unless you ask for it. (I'm thinking of how two local library computer systems work.)

 

If you are absolutely, positively sure that you returned the books, insist that you did, no matter what. (Because if you say that you "think" you did, you're leaving them an opening.) Where did you drop them off, inside, or in a book drop? (Someone could have taken them from the book drop.)

 

We have it happen ALL THE TIME when people say they've returned books but they've not been checked in. We find them on the shelves. This happens for so many reasons, volunteers who move books from one place to another, skipping the check in; employees who think the books were already checked in; patrons who return the books to the wrong place (a cart for shelving, for example); and quite possibly a computer scanner that isn't working properly.

 

There's hope!

[mom4him]

Because I can't find them anywhere in my house and I am 98% sure they were returned. I could believe I lost ONE library book... but four? I have moved furniture, checked kitchen cabinets, checked our bookshelves, checked the garage... I seriously don't think there is anywhere left to look! I checked them out at one branch and returned them at another. Sigh.

Oh, YES! I have had our library send me past due notice on books that I was sure I had returned. Both times I went to the library, talked to a librarian about it and we started looking for them on the shelves. The books were found, miss filed, but found. It hasn't happened for quite some time now but for a while when they would check them back in the computer was evidently not always registering that the book was back and then some times it would not get put back in the right spot.:001_huh:

[Hannah C.]

I worked at my college's library until very recently. It was one building, with one place to return books, and it is *entirely* possible that those books were actually returned, checked in, are sitting on a shelf somewhere, and are not in your house.

 

It could be that they got put in the checked-in-already stack when they hadn't been checked in yet. It could be someone was in the process of checking in books and got distracted. It could also be that they somehow missed being scanned back into the system *and* they got put back on the shelves in the wrong place. (It is simply crazy how books end up in the utterly wrong section sometimes.) Since you returned them at a different branch, this complicates things even more, as they could have somehow been misplaced in transit.

 

It is also possible that they are still in your house, in the last place you would look. But you should by no means be automatically liable. ;) The books do have separate barcodes, so they will be able to tell if they found the one that *you* checked out or just another copy that they happen to have. You may not be able to figure that out if you go pull the books off the shelves though. Hopefully they will send people to search for the books. If those people don't find them, that's when I would go look on the shelves myself -- armed with the barcode for the books still on my account, if possible.

[Sasharowan]

Did you check your bookshelves? Dh and kids have shelved library books on our home shelves many times.

[justasque]

It's quite routine for books to be returned to a library but not properly checked in. Happened to me just last week.

 

I usually go to the branch where I returned the books, talk to the librarian, and offer to go and search the shelves. When I find the book, I go back to the same librarian and she takes care of it for me.

 

Libraries do keep track of different copies of the same book, either through the call number (often there is a "c.1", "c.2") or nowadays through the bar code. The librarian can tell you how it works in your system.

 

If you don't find the book, there's often a status called "claimed return" which they can apply to your account, which puts fines on hold until things are straightened out.

 

If someone else finds the book misplaced on the library shelves and tries to check it out, sometimes the system comes up "not checked in"; some systems are set up to then fix your account, some are not and you'll get hit with a hefty late fee, so it pays to keep up with this stuff.

 

I cannot say enough good things about Library Elf - http://www.libraryelf.com - well worth the very small annual fee if you are a heavy library user.

 

Our lost books are always under ds's bed.

[Crafty Mathy Mom]

Yes it is possible. It happened to us with 9 books. The librarian chastised me for having the audacity to try to check out more books with nine overdue books. He then implied that I was irresponsible for checking out that many in the first place. I knew that I had turned them in because I checked each one off on the checkout receipt as I put them in the book drop. I took my dd back into the stacks and sent her back to the front with one book at a time until all nine were at the checkout desk. Then i went back up and said "I told you that I turned them in." I received no apology.:glare:

[Daisy]

Yes, it happens frequently with me. I return 40+ books at a time. Sometimes the book just doesn't scan properly and is reshelved. It happens.

 

Ask them to look for the book.

Look for it yourself.

Wait (it usually turns up and my library doesn't charge the book replacement fee for six weeks for this very reason. Accidents happen).

 

My librarians are very nice about it though (I've worked very hard to cultivate a relationship with them). :-p

 

Then in the future, I suggest you request a receipt when you return your books. They should be able to print off a list showing you which books were returned. Count your books before you turn them in. Count the number of books on the receipt. If they match, you are good to go. If not, they missed one and need to redo it. Keep the receipt as proof you returned the books.

[Margo out of lurking]

My librarians are very nice about it though (I've worked very hard to cultivate a relationship with them). :-p

...

 

Then in the future, I suggest you request a receipt when you return your books. They should be able to print off a list showing you which books were returned.

 

LOL, this would not be the way to make friends with librarians at my library where I work! I'm just sayin'.

 

We don't have a system to show what books have been returned. We can only see what is currently out on your account. We're happy to tell patrons when asked, but that info doesn't appear on our screen when checking books out.

 

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(Which makes me wonder: How do I make that last sentence not end with a preposition? "That info doesn't appear on our screen when out I check books"?):lol:

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Can they tell if they have MY missing books as opposed to another copy? Some of the books have four copies. Can they tell which one was checked out to me??

 

If your library uses the bar code system each book will be different. If not there will be a designation such as c.1 or c.4 after the call number to indicate copy number-your record should reflect which copy you had. After checking shelves at home I'd go and seek them out at the branches. Sounds to me as though a pile of books just didn't get checked in properly and probably made it back to the shelves.

 

It happens.

 

Also-I think libraryelf only works if your library participates but maybe things have changed.

[Belacqua]

And sometimes the computer just won't listen to reason. :001_smile:

 

I recently returned a set of Teaching Company dvds with their accompanying guidebook. The book was bound as one volume but contained, officially, two separate guides. The computer, quite logically, demanded I return two books.

 

The circulation desk lady was very nice about it, but she clearly didn't accept that there was no such second book. She told me to look again at home and kindly renewed it for me. So the next day (when I knew she wasn't working, as I'm a big, fat coward), I went to another circ person who glanced at the "Volumes I and II" marking and said, "Oh, it's all in one book. I'll fix that on the computer."

 

I'm not grousing, though. That first lady couldn't have been nicer when I had to explain that a cd I'd borrowed was stuck in my car's cd player. She even gave me some suggestions for getting it out. I imagine she's heard everything.

[AppleGreen]

It happens! I have had this happen to me on a number of occasions, although not 4 at one time. Our library is very happy to check their shelves if you think you've returned a book. I would call both branches and ask them to check their shelves. I have also checked myself and found books that were returned but still showing up on my account. I have also found lost books stuffed in my couch cushions, just in case you haven't checked there. You have to dig deep and I am a little skeeved sometimes, but well, such is life with littles. Also, I'd check under the seats of your car.

 

Hope they turn up!