SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 on books being due on a day they are closed? Used to be, when we had a different librarian if a book came due on the day the were closed she would adjust your account for you so that you didn't owe anything. Now we have a different librarian, and since she came along things have become more strict, or she adheres to rules more strictly or... something. Anyhow. We had books due on Tuesday, but she was closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Today we to renew our books and had a $13 fine waiting on us. She wouldn't drop the fine because she said that's what the book drop is for. Well... OK, but I didn't want to return the books, I wanted to renew then and I had always been able to do that in the past so I didn't know. Once books are overdue they won't let you renew anything. She can't renew anything now until everything is brought back, checked in, and my fines are paid. Then I can check out anything I wasn't thru reading. That's kind of a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bairnmama Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Do you not have a library website/account that would allow you to recheck your books online even when they are closed? That is what I always do when my books are due on a day they are closed. But then, our library allows you to recheck books that are already overdue so that the fines don't keep accumulating... but only if you have any renews left. We can only recheck 3 times before an item must be turned in. I'm sorry you're having such a hassle with your new librarian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renthead Mommy Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Why don't you just do your own renewals on line? You can still use the computer system even when the library is closed. I agree that things can't be renewed once it has come due. I've never seen a system let you do that. Maybe the librarian can do it through their system. Ours is closed on Sundays during the summer. I don't know if they alter due dates for summer Sundays, but they do for closure for Federal holidays, making them due Tuesday instead of Memorial Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whereneverever Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I renew online. That policy sounds like a major pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenneinCA Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T'smom Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. I've worked at two different libraries in the past and this has been the policy at both of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. That would make a lot more sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lailasmum Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Ours you can renew even when they are over due and you have a fine on them. You just pay the fine for the days between the day they were due and the day you renew them. I am not sure how they handle books due back on a day that they are closed. I think if you have a good reason they give you a week grace as they do this if you have to return a book that you can't renew because someone else has reserved it and only realise on the last day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nukeswife Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I also use the online system, because if it's due and they are closed it needs to be put in the book drop that day or it's counted as overdue. Our library will give us 3 renewal, which I can do online, but you can't renew if someone has put a hold on the book. I don't mean this to be snarky, but if you wanted to renew them and knew they were due on a day the library was closed, and you don't have an online system to use, why didn't you stop in to renew them on the Friday or Saturday before that when they were open? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our libraries usually program the checkouts to not set due dates for items when the library will be closed. We can also renew online (unless the items are overdue; then that option is not available). Sorry for your fine . . . does your library do special days where fines may be wiped out? Ours does that a few times a year . . . sometimes they ask you bring in a can of food for the needy for each overdue item or something like that . . . I would also respectfully ask that checkouts be programmed to not land on days when the library is closed, if possible . . . A batch of cookies/fudge at Christmas time has endeared me to some of the librarians at my library . . . occasionally they have helped me out with overdue items, etc. Just a thought. Befriending a librarian can be a great thing . . .:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. Same here. And I can renew online as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) I also use the online system, because if it's due and they are closed it needs to be put in the book drop that day or it's counted as overdue. Our library will give us 3 renewal, which I can do online, but you can't renew if someone has put a hold on the book. I don't mean this to be snarky, but if you wanted to renew them and knew they were due on a day the library was closed, and you don't have an online system to use, why didn't you stop in to renew them on the Friday or Saturday before that when they were open? I don't live in town, I live out in the country and share a vehicle with my husband who has to have it for work. I can't just make trips into town. And I didn't know I would be charged because once upon a time I would not have been. I could have renewed some of what I had out online had I known that I needed to, and had I had my kids' passwords... which I really need to get in case this ever happens again. We only get 1 renewal on books, so some of it would have been late anyhow. Edited July 7, 2011 by SeekingSimplicity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britomart Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 At our library, they backdate anything in the bookdrop so that it looks like it was returned the last time the library was open. (E.g., if you return it after hours on Friday night, and they check it in Saturday morning, they'll backdate it so it looks like they're checking it in on Friday.) But they have to do it manually, so occasionally mistakes are made; it's considered a courtesy, so if they accidentally forget to backdate, I pay the fine. But we also have an online system that lets us renew from home, up to three times, unless someone else is waiting for the item. That helps a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooh bear Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library systems always moves the due date forward one day, if they are due back on a holiday. They also give us one days grace. So if it is due back on Friday, and I don't get there until Saturday, no fines. Even if I have a book over due, I can renew it online, and it just lists the fine that I have accumulated. That is unless the book can not be renewed. But, and not to sound snarky, if you knew there was a new librarian, and you were not sure of her way of doing things, you should have gone back to the library on Friday or Saturday. That way there would have been no confusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Ours can be renewed after they're due, then you just owe the "in between" fines... Yup, maybe not so much to complain about for us! Of course, they have lost the books on their shelves without "checking them in", before. BUT, my daughter owed $40.00 the other day, and she went in pleading, and they marked it down to $10. So, I suppose I should consider us lucky!! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 on books being due on a day they are closed? Used to be, when we had a different librarian if a book came due on the day the were closed she would adjust your account for you so that you didn't owe anything. Now we have a different librarian, and since she came along things have become more strict, or she adheres to rules more strictly or... something. Anyhow. We had books due on Tuesday, but she was closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Today we to renew our books and had a $13 fine waiting on us. She wouldn't drop the fine because she said that's what the book drop is for. Well... OK, but I didn't want to return the books, I wanted to renew then and I had always been able to do that in the past so I didn't know. Once books are overdue they won't let you renew anything. She can't renew anything now until everything is brought back, checked in, and my fines are paid. Then I can check out anything I wasn't thru reading. That's kind of a pain. At ours the books would have been due the first day they were open. I can renew once but they have bent that rule a few times for us.:) When we couldn't find a book this spring/summer, like for a couple of months, the librarian just kept renewing it. She told me that she knows us and knows that it will show up eventually. We are very regular there. We go in ever 1-2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. Our library is like this too. Also, there is a one-day grace period before fines are charged, IF the book is returned no more than one day late. So if I have a book due on, say Wednesday, if I return it (either at the desk before closing time Thursday OR in the book drop before the library opens Friday morning), I won't be charged a fine. However, if I return the book after the library opens on Friday, I would be charged 10 cents per day for each additional day the book is overdue, including Thursday. That said, I usually renew my books online, which works much better for me. I can renew online, even if books are overdue, UNLESS the accumulated fine is over a certain amount ($5.00, I think?). Edited July 7, 2011 by ereks mom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I don't live in town, I live out in the country and share a vehicle with my husband who has to have it for work. I can't just make trips into town. And I didn't know I would be charged because once upon a time I would not have been. I could have renewed some of what I had out online had I known that I needed to, and had I had my kids' passwords... which I really need to get in case this ever happens again. We only get 1 renewal on books, so some of it would have been late anyhow. After being assessed what I consider to be random fines, I renew my books online days before the due date even if I know I'm going to return them the next day. I do not allow myself to get close to the due date because I never know what my library is going to do. Don't worry about getting to know this new librarian. It would have never occurred to me that knowing a librarian can be helpful. I believe that the employees should follow library policies and those should remain consistent throughout any employee changes. Maybe the librarian you had before was doing something differently than she should have. Maybe the one you have now is just being a dink. Just call it a learned lesson and renew your books online even if you aren't going to be keeping them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I am pretty sure ours extends the due date until the next day they are open. I also have option of renewing online or calling the library desk to have them renew the books for me (an option for you since you don't have your kids passwords!). Books put in the book drop are collected and back-dated as they don't generally check them in for a couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 How much do they charge per day for an overdue book? I'm amazed that it would be a $13 fine after only two days. You must do a LOT of reading. I find that it varies so much from library to library and even within them it's really up to the person you happen to ask. Some are very accommodating while others are strictly by the book. I think renewing online would be your best option for the future. BTDT :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. That's exactly what our library system does. It doesn't even make sense to have books come due on a day the library is closed. Sorry that's happening to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joannqn Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 How much do they charge per day for an overdue book? I'm amazed that it would be a $13 fine after only two days. You must do a LOT of reading. I find that it varies so much from library to library and even within them it's really up to the person you happen to ask. Some are very accommodating while others are strictly by the book. I think renewing online would be your best option for the future. BTDT :tongue_smilie: Around here, that would be about 43 books two days overdue. I usually have at least that many books checked out. I've had $30+ fines a few times when life has gotten too hectic for me to find the time to get to the library on time. I'm not sure what our library's policy because I'm fairly new to this system. We are allowed two renewals (for a total of three check outs) as long as no one has the book on hold. And you can put the copy from a specific branch on hold so if someone puts the copy you have on hold, you can't renew it even if the library has a dozen other copies. Our previous library system would give the person with the hold any available copy so I find this a pain. There have been times I've had to return my copy and then visit our next closest branch to check out the same book so that we could continue our read aloud. I'm pretty sure they back date anything put in the drop box after hours. I learned the hard way that they pull the items from the drop box before the library opens so you better get it in there on the day it is due. Our previous library wouldn't pull their drop box until opening time so you could return books 5 minutes before they opened and still have it back dated to their last open date. Our library also offers homeschoolers an educator's card. Books checked out on that card have a 5 week initial check out period, then the renewals are the normal 3 weeks. There are also no fines on the card. Whoo hoo! However, we only get 50 check outs so my kids still have their own cards that accumulate fines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcjlkplus3 Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't have books due on days they are closed. However the website is almost always available and you can renew that way, unless you have fines over $10 and even then, you can pay your fines online - I would check and see if they have any online systems available. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 I have worked at our county library for three years. How can a book be due on a date the library is closed? Geesh!!!!! It's pretty simple to adjust the library circulation software to accommodate holidays. Our materials are not due until the first day we are open following a holiday. You can renew materials via our library website before they are due (or on the due date). However, if the due date is passed, you are not able to renew online because there is now an outstanding fine that must be paid prior to renewing the items. Patrons can renew by phone. Because of that same policy italicized above, policy dictates that books cannot be renewed by phone once they are overdue. Some of us do it anyway. Other staff members complain, and policy has been reiterated at staff meetings (and some of us still do it anyway, me included). I think that many libraries (gov't employees as a whole) forget that they exist SOLELY to SERVE the PUBLIC. The public is not there to serve the library. Fine structures should exist as a motivation to return materials in a timely manner, or as a "penalty" for making other patrons wait to use those materials. Who oversees the head librarian? We have a Library Board who sets policy. It meets once a month with the Library Director. You have a couple of choices. If it's worth it to you, go higher up the chain and press for the changes you would like to see. (Hey, maybe you can get on the library board!) Otherwise, you'll end up working within the rules they set. ETA: I also use a neighboring library system. Their website allows me to renew books that are already overdue, just attaching a fine to my account. It shows up when I check out the next time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veggiegal Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 We have a drop bin outside that we can put books in if the library is closed. As long as they are back before opening hours the next working day, they are registered as being returned on time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tadbhoward Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library has an online system that I use to renew books. I can renew the books even if they are a few days late and it will automatically take my fine off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 How much do they charge per day for an overdue book? I'm amazed that it would be a $13 fine after only two days. You must do a LOT of reading. I find that it varies so much from library to library and even within them it's really up to the person you happen to ask. Some are very accommodating while others are strictly by the book. I think renewing online would be your best option for the future. BTDT :tongue_smilie: It's $0.25 cents a day per book. We had 25 books our all together but not all were late. There were some books she hadn't taken off our acct that she should have, once she did it came down to 10.5. So that would be 21 books overdue for 2 days. Between our 4 cards we can check out 60 books, it can get expensive fast. The librarian doesn't know how to get the passwords on the kids' acct so it'll have to wait till I happen to go to the town where the main branch is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Current library: not sure. Old library: books that would be due when the library was closed would automatically be made due the day it re-opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library never shows a book due on a closed day. It's always the day after. FWIW, I live in a large metro area. Libraries are only closed on federal holidays. So, for our library, if a book is checked out for three weeks (our regular check out) and three weeks falls on Monday, July 4, it would be due July 5. I think, OP, that is crazy! I can also renew my books via the internet and forgot the other day. So I, too, have fines this week. Bummer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristineW Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Was the main branch open on the 5th? Our little library is often closed on Mondays and they extended to include the 5th but the larger library a couple miles away was open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ann.without.an.e Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 How long can you keep a book checked out? I am floored by all the responses. Our library system gives you 3 weeks past the due date before they begin to charge at all. Then, it is only $1 per book and no more. At 45 days overdue, they charge your account the price of the book in addition to the $1. I had no idea I was so spoiled! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 How long can you keep a book checked out? I am floored by all the responses. Our library system gives you 3 weeks past the due date before they begin to charge at all. Then, it is only $1 per book and no more. At 45 days overdue, they charge your account the price of the book in addition to the $1. I had no idea I was so spoiled! :001_smile: 2 weeks from the county libraries and 3 weeks from the university library. DVDs are 1 week at this branch of the library, but only 3 days from the main branch. If a book stays overdue for too long you start getting ugly letters in the mail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Anyhow. We had books due on Tuesday, but she was closed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Today we to renew our books and had a $13 fine waiting on us. She wouldn't drop the fine because she said that's what the book drop is for. Well... OK, but I didn't want to return the books, I wanted to renew then and I had always been able to do that in the past so I didn't know. Once books are overdue they won't let you renew anything. She can't renew anything now until everything is brought back, checked in, and my fines are paid. Then I can check out anything I wasn't thru reading. That's kind of a pain. I don't know what they do here for books due the day they are closed. Unless the library factors that in ahead of time and the computer assigns a due date after a holiday closing. In any case, we can renew books online, so I'd either have to return the books in the book drop or renew online. I can renew if it's overdue. I would still have the fee to pay, but I could keep the book(s) longer. We can continue to check books/videos/etc out until our fees reach $5. Then we have to pay enough of the fee to get it under $5 before we can check out or renew more items. Edited July 7, 2011 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 1 Books not due on day library is closed 2 I can renew online unless someone else wants it; then I must return 3 Fines over $10 must be paid before library card can be used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 (edited) Our library also offers homeschoolers an educator's card. Books checked out on that card have a 5 week initial check out period, then the renewals are the normal 3 weeks. There are also no fines on the card. Whoo hoo! However, we only get 50 check outs so my kids still have their own cards that accumulate fines. The more I read about other people's libraries, the more thankful I am for mine. I hope if we ever move I find one just as good. I have a card for dd, but haven't used it since I got my teacher's card. On both personal cards and teachers cards we can check out an unlimited number of items (I think--it's over 50 for sure). Check out is 3 weeks and we can renew 5 times. I don't have overdue fines on my teacher's card, so I've kept items longer if it's really necessary. They also forgive up to $50 in lost or damaged books on the teacher's card per year. ETA: our overdue fines are .10 per book/day. This went up from .05 just a couple of years ago. I think it might be .50 per DVD/day. Edited July 7, 2011 by gardening momma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeekingSimplicity Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 If our fines get over $1 we have to pay them up to use our cards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 It's $0.25 cents a day per book. We had 25 books our all together but not all were late. There were some books she hadn't taken off our acct that she should have, once she did it came down to 10.5. So that would be 21 books overdue for 2 days. Between our 4 cards we can check out 60 books, it can get expensive fast. The librarian doesn't know how to get the passwords on the kids' acct so it'll have to wait till I happen to go to the town where the main branch is. Oh wow. That's a high daily fine for books. We've seen 15 and 20 and occasionally the wonderful 10 cent fines, but not 25 cents that I can remember. :tongue_smilie: It doesn't take many books, or many days, to end up with a hefty fine. Joanne I think that educators card is awesome!!! I've never thought to ask if it's available. :) I've been at the library as it opened the day after a long holiday, and missed the bookdrop cut off by 2 minutes. We had to pay the fine. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dobela Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. :iagree: OUr fines are $0.10 per day. If your fine is over $2 you are not allowed to check out anything. If you have any amount in fines you are not allowed to use computers or special check out items until the fine is paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margo out of lurking Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 It would have never occurred to me that knowing a librarian can be helpful. I believe that the employees should follow library policies and those should remain consistent throughout any employee changes. Oh, as a library employee, I disagree with your first sentence. We are given some discretion regarding stated policy. If I don't feel I can deviate from that policy, I am much more likely to offer to approach the branch manager or director on your behalf if I know you, or if you are friendly to me. Employees should follow library policy. But there are always extenuating circumstances that cannot be regulated. Depending on the issue, I may make an exception for you because I know you, or even if I don't know you--or I may not be able to do anything. The truth is that every employee will not respond to a situation in the same way. Our director is quite laid back, and while it can sometimes drive me crazy, I also appreciate his willingness to be flexible, whether it benefits me as an employee, or a library patron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sasharowan Posted July 7, 2011 Share Posted July 7, 2011 Our library doesn't let books be due on days the library is closed. If the library would be closed that day it automatically adjusts the due date to the first day it is open. So if your books would have been due on July 4th, when the library is closed, the computer would have automatically adjusted the due date to the next day the library is open, probably July 5. You would get an extra day. This is us. We checked out movies on Fri. that would normally be 2 day rentals and got them until Tues. because of library closed on Sun. normally and Mon. for the 4th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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