Homeschool policy at the library

[LucyStoner]

I am a cardholder at 2 of the largest and best public library systems in the country. I don't believe either has any special rules for educators of any stripe.

 

In fact, if you accrue $25 in fines, they send you to a collection agency that will report the debt to your credit report. For that privilege they charge you an extra $12.

 

http://www.spl.org/u...-lost-materials

 

http://www.kcls.org/...owing/index.cfm

 

 

At the county level, they have a page for teachers with some online and other resources but no special policies that I can see.

 

http://www.kcls.org/teachers/

 

In the city, most materials have a 3 week checkout period with 2 renewals provided no one else has placed a hold on the item. So up to 9 weeks. At the county, the check out period for most stuff is 28 days with 2 renewals provided no one else has placed a hold. So up to 12 weeks. I can hardly complain. This is for everyone.

 

You can renew online if it is not on hold and is not too far overdue. Like maybe a few days. I don't recall.

 

After a $76 library fine, I cleaned up my library ways. I find it easier to stay on top of it by going to the library at least weekly. Also, everyone has a spot/bin for their library books and they do not commingle with our books on the shelves at home. I have a bin near the door that we are all responsible for putting our finished/ready to return books and materials. If it has more than a few things in it, that bin comes with me to the car when I leave so I can swing by the library and return things even if we are not going in that day. Since I cleaned up my act, we have had about $14 total in fines across 4 people each with a card on two systems and that was illness.

[Lisbeth]

If it makes you feel better, we pay a "bedbug fee"...because I am afraid of getting them, we purchase every book we read new. And we read tons. ;)

[TexasRachel]

My local library doesn't let us renew online or over the phone. I have to physically take the books in to renew them. It's a massive pain and I've pretty much given up going to them. There's two other library systems within 30 minutes.

[LeslieAnneLevine]

OP, I get it. You tried to renew, knowing full well you would pay the one-day fines you already had, but could avoid a second day of fines. The computer system should have let you to this, but didn't. It's the same at my library--I can renew even if something is overdue, I just have to pay the fines already accrued before renewal.

 

The system does mess up sometimes. I am happy to pay any fine I owe, but have had to explain a couple of times why the computer is wrong (one time I had already paid the fine, and another time it showed a return occurring one day later than it actually did). I am glad they believed me, but I don't consider that to be "special treatment".

[beaners]

My library funding comes from a library tax as well as plenty of fundraisers.

 

ETA:

We are not allowed to borrow from the county library because my residential address property tax does not contribute to that library system. I would have to pay $89 per year per person to use those libraries.

 

 

The local library system has signs asking that people not reshelve anything they use because those numbers are included to determine how much funding the library receives. When we lived in PA, the funding was also based in part on the circulation numbers.

 

That isn't to say we don't contribute in other ways to our library. The library book sale requests a donation instead of pricing books. We are generous.

[Tangerine]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

[NicAnn]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

Wow that is crazy! We are full time travelers, and generally move every 4 months. I have library cards from all over the country and have never paid for one. Usually I just let the front desk know I don't have an address and they give me one. Occasionally I need to have proof of address, so I bring in a piece of mail from the rv park.

[LucyStoner]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

I live in areas that fund the libraries with a combo of private fundraising/foundations and voter approved levies which pass by a large margin. Everyone in the county, incorporated area or not, has access to the county system which in most cases also grants access to the city system. I've had a city library card for a couple of decades and picked up a county one when we moved to the suburbs. There are tons of branches in each system. It comes with a tax cost, but it is not huge. Way less than $260 for both unless someone owns a ton of property. Definitely worth it.

[Mergath]

I am very sorry that everyone felt they had to " tell me like it is". I really wonder if you would have spoken to me like this in real life? I am very saddened at the conduct on the boards today. I have been apart of this community for the last 10 years or so and have never seen such a tongue lashing as I have today.

 

 

Really? You must not get on here much. This wasn't a tongue-lashing; everyone just happened to disagree with you.

[*Lulu*]

 

 

Wow that is crazy! We are full time travelers, and generally move every 4 months. I have library cards from all over the country and have never paid for one. Usually I just let the front desk know I don't have an address and they give me one. Occasionally I need to have proof of address, so I bring in a piece of mail from the rv park.

 

 

Okay, it is time to get new contacts. I initially read the above as, "we are time travelers". I imediately thought I had watched too much Dr. Who lately!

 

Anyway, carry on!

[Mergath]

Okay, it is time to get new contacts. I initially read the above as, "we are time travelers". I imediately thought I had watched too much Dr. Who lately!

 

Anyway, carry on!

 

 

I had the exact same reaction to that post.

[unsinkable]

 

 

Really? You must not get on here much. This wasn't a tongue-lashing; everyone just happened to disagree with you.

 

Everyone didn't disagree with Michelle. Some people tried to answer her questions while understanding her frustration.

 

Others, including you, referred to "special snowflake" etc.

 

It's a snarky way to disagree with her, IMO. And definitely not necessary, again, IMO.

[chepyl]

Our library's online system will not renew with too many overdue items. I don't know what the number is, but it is a policy, not a glitch. Pay the done and move on. You can work on an educator card if you want, but you still owe these fines.

[Jenny in Florida]

In my library, you can do everything until you have > $10 of fines, at which point you can no longer check out new material.

 

Here, too:

 

"In order to check out, renew or request material, your account balance must be less than $10. If your balance is $10 or more, paying the entire amount is required to restore Library card service. You must have a zero balance to download audiobooks, e-books or songs, sign up for a computer session, register for a computer class, reserve a meeting room or study room, or access our wireless network." [ http://www.ocls.info/Card/makingMost.asp ]

 

I can't find any indication that our library system offers a special kind of card or any special policies for educators, either professional or homeschoolers:

 

http://www.ocls.info/card/info.asp

[unsinkable]

I googled library educator cards and read a few of them.

 

Here is Wash, DC's:

 

http://www.dclibrary.org/node/14706

 

They can get out up to 100 books with no fines.

[PrairieSong]

.

Edited June 10, 2016 by PrairieSong

[Mergath]

Everyone didn't disagree with Michelle. Some people tried to answer her questions while understanding her frustration.

 

Others, including you, referred to "special snowflake" etc.

 

It's a snarky way to disagree with her, IMO. And definitely not necessary, again, IMO.

 

 

True, though. She thinks we're all special snowflakes because we homeschool, and as such should have special privileges that other people don't. I don't agree with that. If that's snarky, so be it. I don't have much sympathy for people who are frustrated because they have to follow the rules like everyone else.

[Lily_Grace]

I used to work at a public library. The ONLY patron who irritated me to the point of wanting to put her in time out was a teacher. She had an item that was 3 weeks overdue and thought she shouldn't have to pay fines on it, throwing a temper tantrum bigger than the 1st graders she worked with. And you know, I might have possibly waived the fee except for two things: the first, it was not a kids' item. And the second, that she felt that the rules didn't apply to her, dismissively waving her hand over the sheet she was given at renewal time a month earlier.

 

I don't like attitude. I don't like it when I have a job to do that ticks people off. Yes, there might be some leeway, but it's only by grace, not by demand.

[unsinkable]

 

 

True, though. She thinks we're all special snowflakes because we homeschool, and as such should have special privileges that other people don't. I don't agree with that. If that's snarky, so be it. I don't have much sympathy for people who are frustrated because they have to follow the rules like everyone else.

 

 

I don't think your opinion is snarky...it's the tone of the posts.

 

And it's not just your posts...there are others.

 

[eaglei]

I haven't time to read all of the responses, so maybe this is repetitious. Our library website doesn't list policy, so there's no reason to link to it.

 

Books (hard copy or audio) can be checked out for two weeks, with a maximum of two renewals if not new and no reserve on it for someone else. That's the policy for everyone. (DVD's, etc., are one week, no renewals). However, the library will *work with you*. If a person requests a longer check-out time (e.g., going on vacation; teacher using with class, etc.), we will override the two weeks and key in a new date.

 

Patrons can renew over the phone, in person, or online - but, online does not work if the item is overdue. We will renew when a person has a fine, but we encourage them to at least pay on the fine. We had a young patron with a $14.00 fine; she continues to sign out books and continues to pay on the fine. Sometimes it's only a quarter or so. The point is that she IS paying on it - and we WILL work with her - we don't wish to deny anyone library privileges if we can help it.

 

The computer system does not allow for books returned in the book drop on the correct day but after hours. Those books are charged a days' fine. (We make it a point to check the book drop one final time in the seconds before we log off for the day). Also, there is a maximum fine per item of $5.00.

 

Hope this helps!

[KungFuPanda]

OP edited her first post. :-/

[Tenaj]

I have spoken repeatedly to our librarians and have written numerous letters to our head librarian asking that homeschoolers be allowed to receive the same teacher's card as the public school teachers. At our library, official teachers can check things out for up to nine weeks without any renewals required. As a homeschooler, as long as no one else requests the materials, I can keep everything for nine weeks but have to remember to renew every three weeks. They won't even consider changing it . . . or maybe behind the scenes they have considered it and just didn't let me know - LOL.

 

Fortunately we can renew online which always makes me happy and I can understand your frustration, Michele! I was annoyed this week because I constantly borrow books on my kindle from our library system. They locked me out that borrowing system the other day because I owed $5 on my library account. My next campaign is to ask them to provide an online way to pay the fine if they are going to lock people out of a online borrowing system. It really made no sense to me that because my library fine (for the physical building) was $5, I couldn't borrow on my Kindle until paying it but I had to physically go there to take care of it. There are no fines generated on the kindle borrowing because they just make the book unavailable on the day it's due.

 

After reading some of the situations in this thread though, I'm very thankful for my library system! 50 book limits per card, online renewals (which I've never had any problem accessing), three-week check-out times. . . .

 

By the way Michele . . . I don't think it's out-of-line at all for heavy users of the library system to request changes in the system to make the system more convenient.

[stripe]

It is very, very common for libraries to work with people. I honestly don't understand the hostility towards this suggestion. Luckily, the director of my library is way more sympathetic than these tough cookies!

[Aslana]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

 

In my state, I can visit ANY library within my home county. My home county has 25 libraries, and I can check out, drop off, visit, each and every one of them on one card--without a fee.

 

(except late fees. :D You pay if you don't turn in on time. Period. They do have a one-time grace, but after that, you pay if you are late. The plus is that we can drop off our books at any of the libraries, not just the one we checked out at)

[beaners]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

Where we are here, we have library cards for the adjacent county, which actually has the closest library to us. We also have a card for our own county, a third neighboring county, and Cincinnati. My husband travels through 4 or 5 counties on his way to and from work every day, so that isn't as inconvenient as it sounds.

 

At our last home, we had a card for our county, plus Pittsburgh. The county was just starting to join all the libraries under one umbrella, so borrowing between branches was sometimes complicated.

 

In both of those states, state residency will get you library privileges at most libraries in the state. The major city libraries allowed you to place holds on books and pick them up and drop them off at whichever library was most convenient.

[stripe]

I can only use my local library in the city I live in. To get a card if you don't live here costs money. At one point my husband got a card in a neighboring city, which actually has not as much material but fewer people used it so I did find some items on the shelf that were checked out in my regular branch. In that case it was because his employer was within the boundaries of the other city. In some libraries, anyone in the state can get a card. Or, in the case of others, anyone at all! Philadelphia's library is open to anyone outside its geographic are for $35/ year, which is a bargain.

[Tammi K]

<<I accidentally missed renewing them the day before and I was attempting to renew online so that the fines would not accumulate. So since it wouldn't let me I waited until they were open today to to renew. I had no problems renewing and I asked to have the fines removed.>>

 

What an odd policy - to charge late fees for the days the library is closed. Perhaps this is the policy that needs changing. The last several libraries we used (Pa, Hawaii, Alaska) all backdated returns if the books were returned before the next open day. Here in our town, our library is closed Sunday and Monday. As long as a book is in the return box before the next open day of business, it is considered to be returned on time (the close of business of the last open day).

 

Perhaps, rather than waiting until the library was open to renew and incurring fees all the while, it might have been best just to return the books and check them out later.

 

Here at our house, we're pretty big on 'mitigating damages.' We talk about it a lot. If you see your sister's ferret is out of his cage and chewing up her bedspread, what did YOU do about it? Ignore it or try to but the stink monster back where he belongs before he destroys the room.

If you hear the toilet tank continually filling because something is stuck, did you just keep on walking or do you try to fix it by jiggling the chain so we don't waste gallons of water?

If you see library books are overdue, do you just watch them accumulate fines or do you return them and check them out another day?

 

ETA: In Hawaii, I had some late books because of an emergency appendectomy. They waived the fees. In Alaska, I had some late books because of an emergency cholecystectomy. Fees- my tough luck. I paid them. :glare: Sometimes life isn't peachy.

[ScoutTN]

nm

[LibraryLover]

Well, gee. I thought I did answer the question. I didn't post our policy for hsers, because there isn't a formal one. Hsers get teacher privileges at some libraries. 4 weeks borrowing time instead of 2, but the fines are the same. Nothing fancy.

 

Our library functions much like JanOH's. Many times they have' looked away' and let folks renew more frequently, as long as there isn't a hold on an item or book. It's difficult to finish up some Teaching Company lectures in 4 weeks, for example. Our librarians are very supportive of the hsing community, but there is not a formal policy wrt to the hsing community.

[Farrar]

I googled library educator cards and read a few of them.

 

Here is Wash, DC's:

 

http://www.dclibrary.org/node/14706

 

They can get out up to 100 books with no fines.

 

 

This card is available to homeschoolers here as well. The library holds a special homeschool outreach event in the fall. Because there's a strong relationship between the schools and the libraries, I think homeschoolers should benefit from that as well. The libraries are paid by my taxes. I don't use the school system, but they buy and supply books for the schools and I'm glad we can benefit from that relationship and I don't see it as an inappropriate privilege or as asking for homeschoolers to be treated as special snowflakes (though I loathe that term in general). I think it's fair that we get the same treatment as the school teachers.

 

We've never had a need for it though, as between my kids' cards and mine, we can take out that many books anyway, and there are no fines for juvenile materials in the DC library system. Plus, we have a strong relationship with our local branch and that has benefited us in terms of getting good materials.

 

I think there are two types of library attitudes. There are libraries that treat patrons with suspicion and their resources like gold. And there are libraries that treat their patrons generously and their resources like they belong to the people, not to them. Obviously, I do sometimes get frustrated because I think we do live with a library system that loses a lot of books and has a lot of scratched audiobook CD's. And I can't say that every librarian has been really nice. On the other hand, I feel very blessed to live somewhere where they want the people to use the books and where they people who work there are very generous with forgiving fines, especially if you build up a relationship with them. I think this is how libraries should be - encouraging, not discouraging people to engage with the books and resources.

[Word Nerd]

It is very, very common for libraries to work with people. I honestly don't understand the hostility towards this suggestion. Luckily, the director of my library is way more sympathetic than these tough cookies!

 

 

I don't think anyone is against the suggestion for libraries to work with people. The objection was over the notion that homeschoolers should demand libraries "treat us with the extra care we deserve."

[nmoira]

I don't think anyone is against the suggestion for libraries to work with people. The objection was over the notion that homeschoolers should demand libraries "treat us with the extra care we deserve."

 

 

Our library system is fantastic and heavily utilized: three week loan periods (six for educator), seemingly unlimited renewals (or at least so many I've yet to hit the ceiling... one book I've renewed 22 times), 15 holds (30 or 35 for educator cards), free ILL, online renewals and fine payments, and a good number of online resources.

 

I'm surprised by the number of systems discussed in this thread that only allow two renewals (barring holds). Why so few renewals, I wonder?

[happypamama]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

Luck of the draw? I think it highly depends on the state. I'm a resident of a particular county in my state, so I can use any of its library branches and can return books to any of the branches. This is enormously helpful to me, and the library's policies are very generous. However, it's a small county with small branches, and so the selection isn't always spectacular. But since I live near the borders of other counties, I can take my regular library card to at least two other counties' (multiple) branches and ask them to code it to use those libraries as well. Their policies and fines are a bit stricter, but the selection is better. It's pretty rare that one of the three county systems doesn't have what I want (and that's approximately 21-25 branches I could use overall -- and I do frequent several of the branches, depending on where my other errands take me, and how desperately I want the books, if they're in stock at one branch and I don't want to wait until they arrive at another one; I've easily visited 8 branches in the past six months). We're able to get stuff from across the state fairly easily too, and we can get a free card for the Free Library of Philadelphia (which DH appreciates for downloading audio books, because he goes through a lot of them on his commute). But really, it's the luck of the draw. All states are different. My state has free state parks too. But they require portfolios and homeschool paperwork too. :p

[poppy]

Our library system is fantastic and heavily utilized: three week loan periods (six for educator), seemingly unlimited renewals (or at least so many I've yet to hit the ceiling... one book I've renewed 22 times), 15 holds (30 or 35 for educator cards), free ILL, online renewals and fine payments, and a good number of online resources.

 

I'm surprised by the number of systems discussed in this thread that only allow two renewals (barring holds). Why so few renewals, I wonder?

 

There is some value to having books on the shelves, which unlimited renewals prevents By keeping those books only available to users who request them online. Some users don't use the online system to find books, they just browse the shelves. Even those of us who do mostly request books online do love looking through the topics on the library shelves.

[nmoira]

There is some value to having books on the shelves, which unlimited renewals prevents By keeping those books only available to users who request them online. Some users don't use the online system to find books, they just browse the shelves. Even those of us who do mostly request books online do love looking through the topics on the library shelves.

 

 

True. But there's also a benefit to having a higher percentage of the materials in circulation: it essentially increases the capacity of the library. There was a recent thread here complaining about books being taken out of circulation. One (probably the major) consideration in culling is space.

[Soror]

Everyone didn't disagree with Michelle. Some people tried to answer her questions while understanding her frustration.

 

Others, including you, referred to "special snowflake" etc.

 

It's a snarky way to disagree with her, IMO. And definitely not necessary, again, IMO.

 

:iagree:

One can disagree without being hateful. It seems as of late that it is all the rage for several posters to be especially vicious and demeaning in their language. There seems to be a contest to who can insult other posters the most.

 

I think the OP's post was a bit of a pity party, she was having a bad day. I think we've all had one of those.

[stripe]

I'm surprised by the number of systems discussed in this thread that only allow two renewals (barring holds). Why so few renewals, I wonder?

 

I suspect these are smaller systems with fewer books, or systems with huge numbers of users. I think it's systems in the middle range (good but not enormous number of users, not stretched too thin) that feel these policies are appropriate.

 

I don't see anything wrong with home educators having perks similar to teachers. I have no problems with teachers having more perks. I don't get the hostile vibe. This isn't MY idea of a library. I love that my library no longer has ANY limit on checkouts, no limits on holds, no limit on just about anything. As far as they are concerned, the more material is getting to library users, the better. Clearly I have the right system to suit my own temperament. It just doesn't bother me that someone isn't paying a fine. I don't give a hoot! Circulation clerks in most libraries are generally authorized to waive and reduce fines. Libraries' budgets are not built on late fines. It essentially serves as a minor reminder and negative incentive to return material on time, not to make people miserable and turn them off reading. I think it's nice when we share ideas of great policies of our local libraries, and try to make our own communities better, rather than gripe because someone else "got away" with something and got more of a cookie than we did or whatever.

[Julie Smith]

I'm surprised by the number of systems discussed in this thread that only allow two renewals (barring holds). Why so few renewals, I wonder?

 

 

Our library has only 2 renewals (assuming not on hold for someone). The reasoning I was given was so that someone else can check it out. I pointed out that said person who wants it can put it on hold. From more than one librarian I was told, "Not everyone does that sort of thing?" I asked, "What sort of thing." and the response was, "Well you know, put books on hold or you know - look up books in advance."

 

Mind you my neighbor who spends hours at the library every week and has a home schooled son says she would never reserve books. She just thinks it is to much work and not her style?

[poppy]

 

True. But there's also a benefit to having a higher percentage of the materials in circulation: it essentially increases the capacity of the library. There was a recent thread here complaining about books being taken out of circulation. One (probably the major) consideration in culling is space.

 

Perhaps the hope is that after 2 renewals, you will be more inclined to take out different books, which doesn't impact circulation rate but does increase the number of books actively used in the time period. In my town, 2 renewals is 12 weeks. For most users, educators and not, 3 months is not an unreasonable time limit. Especially because you can always check it out again.

[Arcadia]

I'm surprised by the number of systems discussed in this thread that only allow two renewals (barring holds). Why so few renewals, I wonder?

 

 

Ours only allow one renewal per book/dvd/cd, 3 week loan period. Most times the books or dvds we borrowed have a long line of reserves like we are 5 of 32 on the reserve list. So we have to get the books in by three weeks.

[Plateau Mama]

I can't get over some of you only ave two week loan periods. Ours is 4 weeks, and you can renew 2x for 3 weeks each as long as someone hasnt requested it. (10 weeks total.). We can renew 24/7 online unless our fines are over $10 then we can't check out anything.

 

We get 100 books per card and 21 audio books ( which have a 21 day loan). They also email you 2-3 days before something is due.

[Element]

I love our library! The only special privilege homeschoolers get is unlimited checkouts, but this is a huge deal to me as we often go over the 20 allowed to regular library patrons.

 

 

Ours only allow one renewal per book/dvd/cd, 3 week loan period. Most times the books or dvds we borrowed have a long line of reserves like we are 5 of 32 on the reserve list. So we have to get the books in by three weeks.

 

 

That's exactly how ours is set up too and I'm okay with it. When I reserve a book I know I'll get it some time during the semester! :)

[MrsBasil]

My library is part of a system that is county wide(I want to say). There are multiple libraries within my town and several libraries serving smaller towns where there is only library per town. By having a card I am allowed to check out up to 50 items. There is no limit on books, but I am limited to 15 audio books, 15 cds, 10 DVDs, 2 TV series on DVD, or 10 ebooks/audio ebooks at a time. I have 3 weeks to keep most materials, but 2 weeks for TV series, and 1 week for DVDs.

 

It says I am granted 15 renewals as long as there are no holds on the books, but that is not entirely true. Some of the libraries that serve the smaller towns, and in particular the one that doubles as the library for the school system, limit me to 2 renewals. There can be requests for the book and I can still renew if there are more copies than requests.

 

I can check out, place holds, do ILL, and pay fines online. ILL is free.

 

There doesn't appear to be an educator card that is publicized.

[Audrey]

At the library where I work, there are only cards for adults, cards for children and non-resident family cards. But... if anyone asks for a longer checkout date, we gladly give it to them (except on new books). Everyone gets fines, though, if they are late.

 

FWIW, we have several heavy users. I realize it's a very small library, but the heavy users are not the ones racking up fines. To the contrary, they tend to be the ones who are always prompt to renew books before the fines tally up, and are in the library often enough that they'll ask if they missed anything or if anything is coming up due. Since the library is online and people can renew online easily enough (unless there's a hold on the book), I really don't see why the library should waive fines either.

 

Also FWIW... you know who are the absolute worst about overdues? The staff. :blushing: But, even we have to pay our fines, too.

[TXBeth]

The computer system does not allow for books returned in the book drop on the correct day but after hours. Those books are charged a days' fine. (We make it a point to check the book drop one final time in the seconds before we log off for the day).

 

 

Interesting. Of all the library policies listed here, this is the only one I find completely unreasonable. I have never heard of a library working this way! The book drop is always checked first thing in the morning (often before the library opens) and any books returned while the library was closed are checked in as returned the previous open day. So if the library is closed on weekends, books found in the drop Monday morning are counted as being returned Friday. If I returned a book Friday after closing and was charged 3 days fine because the library didn't open until Monday, I would refuse to pay it.

[Tenaj]

Interesting. Of all the library policies listed here, this is the only one I find completely unreasonable. I have never heard of a library working this way! The book drop is always checked first thing in the morning (often before the library opens) and any books returned while the library was closed are checked in as returned the previous open day. So if the library is closed on weekends, books found in the drop Monday morning are counted as being returned Friday. If I returned a book Friday after closing and was charged 3 days fine because the library didn't open until Monday, I would refuse to pay it.

 

 

 

Our library checks the book drop an hour before close every day and everything that goes in after that time is charged for another day.

 

They instituted this policy during a budget crunch because they cut back on employees (I'm not exactly sure how that saved them money) and then never turned the policy back when the levy passed the next year.

 

Now that I think about it, they had also limited books to 50 per card at the time and have never changed that back to 100 again either. Neither policy made sense as a money-saving venture and neither policy has been rescinded. I feel another letter coming on . . .

[LuvToRead]

I can't get over some of you only ave two week loan periods. Ours is 4 weeks, and you can renew 2x for 3 weeks each as long as someone hasnt requested it. (10 weeks total.). We can renew 24/7 online unless our fines are over $10 then we can't check out anything.

 

We get 100 books per card and 21 audio books ( which have a 21 day loan). They also email you 2-3 days before something is due.

 

 

My library has a 2 week loan period, with one renewal. They just got a new system, and it will send out text reminders when your books are nearing due date. I haven't taken advantage of this feature yet.

 

I would love it if my library had a special teacher/homeschool policy. But since there are 2 homeschoolers in town, I don't see this happening.

[carriede]

Hmmm I don't believe our library system has a homeschool policy, but I am realatively new to thinking about educator benefits, so I haven't asked them yet.

 

The regular policy is unlimited books for check out, each for two weeks with two more possible two week renewals if there are no holds (so a possible 6 weeks per book). But you can't do ANYTHING (check out or reserve books) if you have ANY fines. The policy is generous and strict at the same time.

 

Sorry I didn't answer your actual question before. :( and I have also had to pay multiple day fines because I forgot to renew online. Never a good surprise when the librarian says you owe $20+...

[mom2scouts]

How are people using all these different libraries? I live in an unincorporated area of my city, and a library card would cost me about $260 a year. And I'm pretty sure that is my only option.

 

 

All of the public libraries in my area allow anyone to get a library card as long as they can show proof of address. Nobody has to pay for a library card.

[Firefly]

My library card is good at any library in CT, and allows me to access every library in the state through inter-library loan as well. I have four libraries withing 30 minutes so rarely need the ILL. Rhode Island, which I also have a card for since it's a stone throw away from me, has the same. Both CT & RI allow 4 weeks out, with one renewal as long as no one else is waiting for it. They will also allow multiple renewals if you call and ask-- again, as long as no one is waiting.