Library woes - is this normal?

[TXBeth]

UPDATE - pg. 4 How often does your library fail to check in books that you return? It seems like almost every week at least one book is listed as overdue. I have to call and explain that I returned it, and then they find it.

Now I have a $20 "late fee" on my account for the letter factory, which I returned a looong time ago - on time. Right after I returned it, I went home and saw it was still listed as out. The next day, it was still there, so I called. I know it was in the stack I returned, because I remember thinking as I dropped it in that we needed to buy a copy. But I don't want to buy a copy I don't get to keep! They marked it as "claimed returned" and eventually it disappeared, so I assumed they found it. But now this fee shows up!

Looking at my list now, there is another book that also doesn't show as being returned, that I returned nearly 2 weeks ago. It isn't even due yet, but we took it back a couple days after checking it out because so many pages were half missing that we couldn't even read it. :(

Is this normal? It never happened at our last library, and I'm thinking of traveling back there, but it's 20 minutes away and the new one is less than 5.

Edited July 26, 2011 by TXBeth

[LibraryLover]

It doesn't happen a lot for me, but he does happen. If they find it on the shelves, they remove any fines. They fix it lickety- split on the computer. I think summer is especially busy in some libraries, and staff is different. Our library uses paid substitutes and senior & teen volunteers to fill in for vactioning staff. They are not as efficeint as the regular employees.

 

Your issues may not be these, but I have noticed more errors in summer.

Edited July 26, 2011 by LibraryLover

[staceyobu]

It's happened to me three times recently. If it happens again, I'm going to complain to a boss. The most irritating time was when they didn't check in 7 of my 20 books. I called and they said they were not on the shelves. I hung up the phone drove up there and pulled all 7 off the shelves. :glare: I seriously wonder if someone put me on hold and just sat there. It has only ever happened to me at one branch. Never at the other branches.

 

I've wondering if I could make them check the books back in right in front of me. But I don't want to be too much of a jerk. :001_huh:

[TXBeth]

It's happened to me three times recently. If it happens again, I'm going to complain to a boss. The most irritating time was when they didn't check in 7 of my 20 books. I called and they said they were not on the shelves. I hung up the phone drove up there and pulled all 7 off the shelves. :glare: I seriously wonder if someone put me on hold and just sat there. It has only ever happened to me at one branch. Never at the other branches.

 

I've wondering if I could make them check the books back in right in front of me. But I don't want to be too much of a jerk. :001_huh:

 

I have thought of doing this! But I really don't want the librarians to hate me. :(

[mrs.m]

I would call and ask them to remove the fee. I would also ask to speak with a supervisor and call these issues to their attention.

 

Our library now has a system where we check the books back in ourselves. No more missed books!!! Now if I just would turn them in on time. I contribute to the library funds often. ;)

 

How often does your library fail to check in books that you return? It seems like almost every week at least one book is listed as overdue. I have to call and explain that I returned it, and then they find it.

Now I have a $20 "late fee" on my account for the letter factory, which I returned a looong time ago - on time. Right after I returned it, I went home and saw it was still listed as out. The next day, it was still there, so I called. I know it was in the stack I returned, because I remember thinking as I dropped it in that we needed to buy a copy. But I don't want to buy a copy I don't get to keep! They marked it as "claimed returned" and eventually it disappeared, so I assumed they found it. But now this fee shows up!

Looking at my list now, there is another book that also doesn't show as being returned, that I returned nearly 2 weeks ago. It isn't even due yet, but we took it back a couple days after checking it out because so many pages were half missing that we couldn't even read it. :(

Is this normal? It never happened at our last library, and I'm thinking of traveling back there, but it's 20 minutes away and the new one is less than 5.

[LittleIzumi]

Here I can request up to two "shelf checks" if I think I returned it & they didn't notice. They have found several that way, and then the fee is removed.

[LuvToRead]

It's happened to me twice in the last 15 years. Is there any way you can make sure they check back in your books before you leave the library?

[arghmatey]

About once a month at the huge and fantastic City of Houston library, and not once in over a year at our smaller and very fantastic county library.

[Whereneverever]

That would really irk me. Our library has a self check in that keeps this from happening.

[Desert Rat]

Our library has a snazzy self check system now. You slide the book onto a conveyor belt, it scans the code and checks it in. I have only had one problem with the new system, but I had my receipt that it was returned and that was when the system was new.

Our library used to offer a return desk where you could ask for you books to be scanned back in right then. Can you ask if that's a possibility at yours?

[stripe]

This is happening too often.

[Cinder]

In the 7 years that I've been with this library system, a missed check-in has happened probably less than 7 times. There were a couple times I swore I'd returned a book and called for a shelf check only to finally find it somewhere around the house (after they've told me they didn't have it).

 

I hope the librarian wouldn't think you rude for having them check in your books while you're there. I do this a lot since they've significantly reduced the number of books we can have out--from 75 to 50. I *need* to have them checked in before I'll be able to check out others. Their new system doesn't let the librarians override the limits like they used to be able to. I've never had a librarian fuss at me for bringing books to be checked in.

[Dmmetler]

What I do is go to the shelf, find the book, and bring it up to have them scan it. If it turns out it's the same book, it shows it as checked out, and they have to check it in.

 

Given the number of volunteers and part-time employees they have (I don't think there are more than 2 actual Librarians at our library branch), I'm not surprised mistakes happen. They've always been nice about it.

[Coffeemama]

In my case, it seems to correlate with the number of books being returned at once. Before homeschooling, I had it happen to me only once, requested a shelf-check, they still insisted it was missing...until I located the book on the shelf myself the next week.

 

In the past two years of homeschooling, it has happened about 5 or 6 times...very annoying, each time (but once) I had to find the book myself.:glare:

[Emmy]

This happens to me frequently. I now have to take note of what I'm returning and then go back in to my account online to confirm they were checked in. Huge pain.

[weddell]

I would just take your books up to the desk when you are checking out new books and ask that they be checked in in front of you. Just quickly mention that you've had problems with things not showing as returned recently.

 

One other thought, our library's return slots are actually scanners. When you drop the book into the slot it reads the tag in the book and checks it in. The sign above the slot specifically says to only put one book in at once, but doesn't explain why. So it's possible if you put in four books in the slot at the same time (stuffing them in) the scanner won't pick them all up. Or sometimes it just doesn't work. Our self checkouts work the same way, instead of scanning a barcode, you just move the closed book over an electronic pad and it reads the tag in the book. Sometimes it doesn't read them and you have to use the barcode in the cover instead. Those are the books I know to make sure get hand checked-in when I return.

[Momof3littles]

Our old library rarely did this, but we moved out of state and our new library does this on occasion.

 

Our old library was awesome about noticing something was about to be due and offering to renew for us while we are there. Our new library doesn't do this. Recently we were there on a Sunday and had a few books due on Monday (that I didn't realize were due :rolleyes:) and they didn't offer to renew.

 

The old library was also really kind about kid books...if we lost something :blush: they would almost always offer an extra renewal to give us time to find it (we always find it, we just sometimes end up with a book or two that slips into a strange location). Our new library did this recently, but that's the only time they've offered.

[justasque]

I've wondering if I could make them check the books back in right in front of me. But I don't want to be too much of a jerk. :001_huh:

 

I have thought of doing this! But I really don't want the librarians to hate me. :(

 

I would just take your books up to the desk when you are checking out new books and ask that they be checked in in front of you. Just quickly mention that you've had problems with things not showing as returned recently.

 

Give it a try. Just be polite, let the little old lady behind you with one book go ahead of you, etc. I've done this when I had a large number of books to return. I've also printed out what we had out, then checked off each one that was returned, so I can know for sure what I did. Sometimes for me it has happened in groups - five or six books at a time.

 

What I do is go to the shelf, find the book, and bring it up to have them scan it. If it turns out it's the same book, it shows it as checked out, and they have to check it in.

 

I do this too, and most of the time I can find the book, but not always.

[Lady Florida.]

It happened only once to me, in the 12 years that I've been regularly using the library. I went to the shelf and found the book rather quickly (which they said they looked for), and my account was cleared.

 

If it happens only occasionally, it should be filed under "Everyone makes mistakes." If it happens a lot, they really need to find and fix the issue.

[sunflowerlady]

This has happened to us several times. I usually go and find the book on the shelf myself and take it to the desk to show them it was returned. It gets to be a bigger problem if we ordered the item from another branch in the county and picked it up locally. By the time we realize it is showing as not returned, it could be sitting on a shelf all the way across the county.:glare:

 

Fortunately, it's been a while since it's happened to us.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I stand there while they check in the books and double check since that has happened to us before.

[Garga]

Never happened to me, but I hear about it a lot on these boards. If it started happening, I think I'd watch them check them in, and then walk over to the computer and double check my account before I left. It would be a pain (because I like to drop books off on the day their due and then GO on my way), but that's what I'd do.

 

Oh, and I'd nicely complain about it to whoever is the boss. It wastes their time as much as mine, so I'd hope they'd want to fix it.

[LaxMom]

 

If it happens only occasionally, it should be filed under "Everyone makes mistakes." If it happens a lot, they really need to find and fix the issue.

 

I agree. Once is a glitch, consistently is an unpleasant feature of a dysfunctional process.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I feel your pain. When our library switched over to a new computer system, we started having problems like this all the time. After the 3rd book they lost (I specifically remember putting it in their bin) and they tried to make me pay, I stopped returning books using the book slot and I have them hand checked in. It is a pain, but this way there is no question about a book having been returned. Whenever a librarian tries to tell me to use the slot, I inform them that the $87 I paid for books that I returned but they lost will just have to pay for the extra time it takes to make sure that this mistake doesn't happen again. That usually shuts them up.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

Our library seems to take days to check in items, especially DVDs. Almost everytime I look at my account online it says: User is DELINQUENT (yes, in all caps!), when nothing was returned late. They do usually get it taken care of by my next visit (I go weekly).

I don't really understand why it takes so long because all they have to do is scan the bar code. Then they can deal with them after that as they are able.

[beezus]

This has happened to us several times. Our library has been good about renewing it to allow time for the book to turn up. Sometimes the librarian will go check the shelves, but usually I end up doing it myself.

[sunshine_librarian]

We have a branch that seems to do this every time I drop off materials there. When I complained at the central branch they recommended getting a "return receipt" every time I checked materials in - which translates into having to wait every single visit until I can be helped by a staff member. Funny thing is, all the other branches know about the problem branch, and will comment on it while you are asking them to create your paper trail.

 

The most insulting encounter I had at the problem branch was when I walked in, pulled the unreturned book off of the shelf and asked the librarian to check it in. She looked me in the eye and said, "How do I know you didn't just sneak this in so you won't have to pay the fine?" I used to work in this library system before having kids and I cannot believe how customer service has declined over the last few years! :glare:

[Tullia]

I have to say, though, that the librarians are always nice when I call to ask them to do a shelf check. The problems started when the library system was upgraded.

 

I also noticed that when we tried to check books out we usually had several that the self-check machine wouldn't accept so we had to have a librarian do it. It happened a lot, so I finally asked why and was told it was because the book had been re-shelved without having been checked in.

 

I've stopped using the drop box, and when returning books inside I stack them neatly and give the rollers a gentle nudge to be sure they made it all the way to the collection station. I started doing that after I saw a child reach up, take a book off the check-in ledge and head for the reading room. :D Doing those two things helped some, but I also agree with a pp about this being worse during the summer months.

[Pretty in Pink]

How often does your library fail to check in books that you return?

 

Often, unfortunately. They used to print out receipts when you checked out books as well as by request when you returned them, but they quit doing that several months ago. At least then you had a blank receipt to show that your account was clear. It's much more difficult to argue that the item was returned without that receipt.

[whitestavern]

Sadly, it has happened to me quite a few times. They've even shelved books from another library!! (in CT we can return any book to any library in the state). They insisted it couldn't be put back on their shelves because their computer wouldn't recognize it. So, I went and found it myself, on their shelves, and had them write a note to the other library explaining the situation so any fees would be waived. It's very frustrating, especially with the volume of books we check out.

[TXBeth]

I went to the desk today with my two questions. The librarian quickly waived the $20 fee with an apology, explaining that when it was sent back to the branch it came from, whoever checked it in forgot to make it retroactive to the due date.

 

The other book, she marked as "claimed returned," and....:blushing: we just found it under DD's bed. I forgot that when I took the torn copy back, I checked out a better copy because DS had been really disappointed that we couldn't read it. Then I forgot and thought the one listed on our account was the old one. Oops!

 

I guess because of all the previous problems, I am too quick to jump to the conclusion that the library made the mistake. I'm now very glad I didn't complain to the librarian about how many times this has happened. :)

[Margo out of lurking]

..

[staceyobu]

We'll renew the book and eventually mark your account "claimed returned" if you still can't find it but are sure you returned it. But a lot of that comes down to how a situation is handled by staff.

 

 

 

You know... we've had issues with our library. I think about 15 books of mine haven't been checked in within the last six months. They marked two of them as "claimed returned" and told me I had a max of three "claims returned" a year. I was sorta irritated because I had found the other books on their shelves that I had turned in. So, obviously at least part of the missing books were unquestionably their fault. If one more book had been marked claimed returned, I would have had to pay for one to keep my library card.

 

Eventually, the two missing books were found (by the library). :glare: Is there any recourse for a patron in a situation like this? I mean, I understand they can't believe everyone who says "I turned in the books". On the flip side, it doesn't seem fair that I would wind up paying for books THEY lost!

[Satori]

It's happened to us three times in the past two years in two different libraries. I haven't checked back with the smaller library yet, but the larger library eventually must have found them, as our account shows that we have no due books and we never got fined. Pretty frustrating, I wish we had some sort of self-return with a printout to ensure they all were returned successfully.

 

It has really cut down on our library use and now I purchase most of our books.

[Margo out of lurking]

You know... we've had issues with our library. I think about 15 books of mine haven't been checked in within the last six months. They marked two of them as "claimed returned" and told me I had a max of three "claims returned" a year. I was sorta irritated because I had found the other books on their shelves that I had turned in. So, obviously at least part of the missing books were unquestionably their fault. If one more book had been marked claimed returned, I would have had to pay for one to keep my library card.

 

Eventually, the two missing books were found (by the library). :glare: Is there any recourse for a patron in a situation like this? I mean, I understand they can't believe everyone who says "I turned in the books". On the flip side, it doesn't seem fair that I would wind up paying for books THEY lost!

 

As a patron at my previous library system, I had similar concerns. Of course I'd have more "claimed returned" books (which were always found on the shelves), because we checked out zillions more books than regular library patrons.

 

IF this were me, or if this happened to one of my library patrons, I would go/suggest they go to the library director. The policy is based on the assumption that the library makes no errors. But that's not reality, and it seems horribly unfair that you would really be punished for their mistakes. Like any other customer service issue, go to the higher ups and state your case.