Largest library late fee you have paid?

[AnnaM]

No purpose to this thread other than to make me feel better about my $25 late fee that I owe...:lol:

 

What is the largest late fee you have managed to rack up?

[brett_ashley]

$78. last week.

 

ughhhhhhhh. I just tell myself I'd be spending a lot more on Amazon if it weren't for the library and consider it a donation of sorts.

[frugalmama]

I owe well over $200 right now. We're not using the library as a result - I can't afford to pay the fine.

[Rjmakmom]

$83...currently using my 6yo daughter's card because of it.

[KRG]

wow I don't think I've ever paid over a $1. Our library also has a $10 cap...at least it used to be that way. They have recently renovated it so they may have changed that rule.

[Legomom]

I have paid plenty of library fines during the past few years. The most humiliating thing about it is that when you pay your fines at our library, they print a receipt for you that lists every book with the title, author, and amount of fine etc. It prints on a dot matrix type printer that can be heard all over our small library and I always end up with a very lengthy receipt. My kids always lift it up gleefully to see if it is taller than I am! I call it the public list of my transgressions.

[CountitallJoy]

Ohmygosh I LOVE you people!! My last "biggie" was something like $150..I had to make payments! I had been doing so well after that, but I've got about 5 books out now that are a month overdue, so, there went that streak.

 

I'm also relieved to hear I'm not the only one who has used their kid's card..I've felt so ashamed! :tongue_smilie:

 

<sigh> I love this forum :001_wub:

[AnnaM]

Ohmygosh I LOVE you people!! My last "biggie" was something like $150..I had to make payments! I had been doing so well after that, but I've got about 5 books out now that are a month overdue, so, there went that streak.

 

I'm also relieved to hear I'm not the only one who has used their kid's card..I've felt so ashamed! :tongue_smilie:

 

<sigh> I love this forum :001_wub:

 

No fair! My library connects the kids cards to mine! We actually have a missing in action book which is why we owe what we do. I avoid the library most of the time because I am one of those who could easily rack up a big bill...

[plath]

I don't let mine get much over $5 but that's because they won't let you check anything out or put anything on reserve once it gets over $5. I've hit it quite a few times though. My library did just start the option of paying your fine online and I'll probably be using that feature soon. My current fine is $4.50.

[hsmom2011]

Wow! Mine was $15, and I thought that was a lot! :001_huh:

[Forget-Me-Not]

I think I had one that was $68. At that rate, it's cheaper for me to buy the stuff than check it out :lol:

[gingersmom]

At some point my library stops adding fines and just makes you pay for the book.

 

I think the most I have paid is $25. The problem is I have paid $25 about 6-7 times. :001_smile:

[Kathleen in VA]

Our library has a $10 limit, but when the computer says $25 or more is owed, you can no longer check books out. You still only have to pay $10 when you settle the account - the $25 amount is just for their records. I've paid the $10 a few times - it happens when I check out several videos ($1/day late fee) and we all get sick and can't leave the house. Thankfully, that's rare.

[mommybee]

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

I check all our cards once a week on the same day so I always catch stuff within a week if I forgot to return. We have five cards and usually have books on all of them.

 

Our library also stops you from using the card if you have more than $5 in fines.

[melmichigan]

Last I knew my record was something like $54.

[CountitallJoy]

No fair! My library connects the kids cards to mine! We actually have a missing in action book which is why we owe what we do. I avoid the library most of the time because I am one of those who could easily rack up a big bill...

 

Anna, I once had them continually tell me I had a book out that I knew I had returned. I continued tearing my house apart ISO it though because they were so insistent! One day I was browsing my normal little shelf area -(I'm a true-crime buff, small section in our library) - and lo and behold, THERE was my "lost" book, pretty as you please, right on the shelf! It had somehow gotten past the "check back in" procedure and been re-shelved. Man, was I relieved because our library won't let you simply replace the book ~ you've got to pay their (ridiculously high, IMHO) price for replacement.

 

I hope you find yours!

[Abigail4476]

Around $80, if I recall correctly. That was for my card + all 3 kids' cards, though.

[WeeBeaks]

$20 - that one hurt!

[pfamilygal]

$214. They put a tax lien on my paycheck (thanks, Chesapeake, VA) - and I returned all the books! They were just 3 wks late.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

Videos. My library has a shorter lending period for movies and a higher late fee when they aren't returned. It drives me batty because everything I check out isn't necessarily due at the same time--and I think they do it on purpose to drive up fees. I think we also had a book that got overlooked and left at home when I thought I'd returned everything. I didn't realize until I got an automated call saying that I had overdue items--and they don't start making those until it's about 2 weeks overdue!

 

Honestly, I don't use the library much anymore because it's such a pain in the backside. Our library system is pathetic and doesn't usually have even 25% of the books I'm looking for (and we're not talking rare, out of print items here--but they have all the Junie B Jones and Scooby Doo books you could possibly want), and then they charge exorbitant fees the second you're late with an item. To cap the whole thing off, both of our local branches are in bad parts of town and I'm nervous taking my kids to either one. If I do use them at all, I reserve and then go in and pick up. And then set an alarm on my phone to remember to return things :D

 

Amazon Prime is my friend.

Edited April 4, 2012 by LemonPie

[ktgrok]

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

I check all our cards once a week on the same day so I always catch stuff within a week if I forgot to return. We have five cards and usually have books on all of them.

 

Our library also stops you from using the card if you have more than $5 in fines.

 

I think my library has higher fines than yours. The DVD's are $1 a day, so a week late x 5 DVDs is $35. Also, if you lose a book you pay for the book AND the late fee that accrued until you pay for the book.

 

That said, we had a house flood and I didn't realize some library things got packed up with our regular books and DVD's, during the clean up. (my husband did the clean up). I didn't even think to check library cards in that month, as I was staying at my mom's in another part of the state. By the time things were settled I owed $145 dollars in fines. I'm still paying that off.

[elegantlion]

Wow, I can't imagine paying those kind of fees. At some point wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy books, even if it's used from amazon? My highest was 1.25, we do buy our books or pick them up at thrift stores and such.

[nono]

It is clear to me from this thread that I love my wallet much more than I love books. :lol:

[Element]

$2.00.

However, I can see the library from my house so I shouldn't ever have late fees! :D

 

We're probably going to have to move later this year and I am dreading the new library situation. We've lived next to a great library since before the kids were born. I can't imagine it any other way.

At some point wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy books, even if it's used from amazon?

 

Best thing about our library system is that there are no overdue fines for children's books, so I haven't been hit too hard.

 

For folks with $100+ fines, I'm curious how many books they checkout a year. For the whole family, we're well over 300 books/year checked out, so even if I bought each of those books used for $1, or had $100 a year in library fines, I'm way ahead by using the library.

[BrookValley.]

$61 and change.

 

I owe fees All. The. Time. I just say it's my way of supporting the library. :tongue_smilie:

[Seeker of Schole]

I don't remember the exact total, but it was several hundered dollars - somehting lide $280 (and that was before we started homeschooling!). In my defense, it was because my house flooded, and all of the library books that I had checked out were destroyed. I had to pay the fee to replace them all. It was not pretty.

 

Now that we homeschool, I check out more books, but we go at least once a week, so I rearly have fines anymore and none add up to more than $2.

[Rosy]

I just paid $55. It's probably at least the 3rd or 4th time it's been that high.

 

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

I find that I'm pretty good at managing my library books if I only have about 25-40 at a time. When I have over 50 books, I start to lose control of them. Taking books back seems like a huge job, so I put off doing it, or I forget where some of them are, or the kids have them in their room. My library caps fines at $.10/book, so if I have 75 books and I'm 3 days late getting them back, it costs me $22.50. Even with a $3/book cap, it adds up FAST. And I've paid $3 in late fees on readers that I could have bought for far less. :glare:

 

Now that the kids are all reading chapter books, it's easier to limit them to 2-3 at a time...the problem is when I'm also getting non-fiction books, books for co-op classes, books for myself, etc....I'm trying to keep us to 25 at a time again, though.

 

I have taken to buying books used--it is cheaper than using the library (the way I do it, anyway!). We have an extensive home library and I'm trying to direct the kids toward the books we already have.

[frugalmama]

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

I check all our cards once a week on the same day so I always catch stuff within a week if I forgot to return. We have five cards and usually have books on all of them.

 

Our library also stops you from using the card if you have more than $5 in fines.

 

In my case it was that I got sick and forgot I hadn't returned them. Plus the $1 a day fine {$2 a day on dvds} and after the $10 cap per item is reached then you have to pay for a replacement at their outrageous prices. So in as little as 2 weeks you can end up owing a LOT.

 

Wow, I can't imagine paying those kind of fees. At some point wouldn't it be cheaper to just buy books, even if it's used from amazon? My highest was 1.25, we do buy our books or pick them up at thrift stores and such.

 

Yep it's cheaper for me to just buy the books myself 99% of the time. I have a thrift shop where I get kids books 5/.70 and sometimes less on sale days, plus they are only .25 each at the library used book store the book cellar. Between that and Amazon I rarely use the actual library portion of the library.

[Rosy]

For folks with $100+ fines, I'm curious how many books they checkout a year. For the whole family, we're well over 300 books/year checked out, so even if I bought each of those books used for $1, or had $100 a year in library fines, I'm way ahead by using the library.

 

I have not surpassed $100 (yet!), but that idea is partly true for us. However, my kids will walk out with an armload of books and then only actually look at 1/4 of them. :glare: I'm as bad as they are--I'll check out books that I *need* to read and then keep them for months without ever getting to them.

[NotSoObvious]

Wow. I guess I should be very grateful for the reminder emails I get from our library two days before anything is due.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

I'm still paying off a $70+ bill. It was $120, but I found the cds (books on cd) and books I thought were lost forever, so that dropped it down.

[lynn]

$15 but I returned the books when they were closed for the holiday and the branch I dropped them off at were closed on their regular weekday during that time. I could have had the fine lowered but I love our library system and don't mind making donations:D

[itsheresomewhere]

Currently 22 bucks. It is for a book that I turned in with the other books and didn't get checked back in. And our library doesn't believe in organization so it is somewhere in there. I ordered the replacement with a teacher discount and it should be here soon. I am demanding a apology letter when they find it.

[*Jen*]

Anna, I once had them continually tell me I had a book out that I knew I had returned. I continued tearing my house apart ISO it though because they were so insistent! One day I was browsing my normal little shelf area -(I'm a true-crime buff, small section in our library) - and lo and behold, THERE was my "lost" book, pretty as you please, right on the shelf! It had somehow gotten past the "check back in" procedure and been re-shelved. Man, was I relieved because our library won't let you simply replace the book ~ you've got to pay their (ridiculously high, IMHO) price for replacement.

 

I hope you find yours!

 

Mine has started doing this all the time now that they've switched to the radio tags that let you just drop the books on the special scanner to check them out. The people checking them back in aren't careful about making sure the whole stack of books they are checking in are all recorded. I end up just pulling it off the shelf the next time we are in and tell them that I returned it last week with the rest of my books and I found it on their shelves. They laugh, delete the fee and check it back in.

 

The most I have had in fees was $21 but that was because I didn't realize that the movies I had checked out had an earlier due date.

[mommybee]

Thanks everyone who answered me! I have more of an idea now how it can happen.

 

I worked at the library for a long time and I guess I just developed a habit of always checking my cards every Tues. I always renew everything due before the next Tues. and that way I can catch anything I forget about within a week.

 

We can have 30 items per card and we are usually maxed out but we keep them all pretty much in one spot in the house and with the weekly checks I'm usually fine. Once in a while something goes astray and I usually freak out cause I hate owing them money, but usually we find it.

 

I paid for a book once that did end up on the shelf as well, but I've had many moments when I'm so sure I returned something and do find it at home.

[LibraryLover]

Around $35. They block you at $10. Our fines are due to many people taking out many items. The worst offenders are Teaching Company DVDs, which we mostly borrow via ILL. These can take a great deal of time to get through, and often cannot be renewed.

Edited April 4, 2012 by LibraryLover

[jenn-]

Glad I checked this thread. It reminded me to check on the library books I have out that I thought were due on Friday. Well half are due on Friday, the other half... yesterday. Oops. Guess I know where we are going tomorrow.

[Running the race]

Just curious.....but how in the world do you all get fines that high?

 

I check all our cards once a week on the same day so I always catch stuff within a week if I forgot to return. We have five cards and usually have books on all of them.

 

Our library also stops you from using the card if you have more than $5 in fines.

 

I know that for me, we were out of town. It was before the automated email reminders. (Love those!)

 

When you have 50 books overdue at 25 cents per day, it adds up quickly even for a couple of days.

[ChristusG]

You guys are making me feel much better about my $50 fine that I had last year. My husband nearly freaked....I'll have to tell him about this thread LOL.

[Carrie-txmama2six]

$58.00 and I am slowly paying this down. I get so mad at myself because I could've just driven down the street and dropped the books in the book drop. .

[5knights3maidens]

Well, this recent one was $30.00. They let me pay some last week and I will pay the rest this week. They also still let me borrow books/dvds. :001_smile: They know me for many, many years. One of the lady's knows me since my 2nd ds was in her preschool and that was 21 years ago. :)

[KrissiK]

$25 was the largest at one time. But I drop between $3-10 every time we go. I's a disgrace, I know.

[Sneezyone]

$189. Will go down to $100 or so when I return the last five books. So far, I've found three! :D

[Starr]

When the bill gets to high just wait for the month of forgiveness and take them all back then. :lol:

[k2bdeutmeyer]

Ha! I think I owe like $80 something from almost 2yr ago. Sigh. Time got away from me and we left for 10days to go to CA.....I forgot to tell DH to return books. Alas....we owe $80. I haven't been able to afford to pay the fines, so we've just been not using the library, which I HATE.

 

ETA: You all inspired me to go check my acct and maybe pay a little something on it, since we just got our tax return. Umm....it says I have nothing outstanding? Do you think they just wrote it all off??? - nevermind....I logged into DD's acct instead of mine. Oops!

Edited April 4, 2012 by k2bdeutmeyer

[frugalmama]

When the bill gets to high just wait for the month of forgiveness and take them all back then. :lol:

 

Our library system doesn't do this - I really wish they did!

[Mandylubug]

I owe 147 on one card and over 40 on another :/ BUT have no fear, we have FIVE cards and I am using the others while paying five bucks a week on the other two...

 

What happened to us was CHRISTMAS! We checked out 35 books and forgot about them for a month :/ at .25 per day per book it wasn't pretty!

 

As to how many we read. I haven't listed every book we have read (I wonder if the library could tell me?) but including this week and the last three weeks, we are at 74 books ( I have this months printout receipts :p ). So, we are easily checking out 300 books a year or more!

[reet3]

My highest fee was $18:tongue_smilie:. But if you go to www.libraryelf.com and your local library is a member, they will reliably give you a heads up 3 days before your books are due. And when you set up your account, you can opt for more reminders. It has saved me a TON of money. A nice library clerk told me about it.

[Jennifer3141]

So far, $98 spread out over three cards. They offered payent plans or absolution but meh. It's for a good cause!