BlsdMama Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 You might want to see if your library is doing a food drive for Thanksgiving. We have added the fines of the household and, as canned goods are on sale at the grocery store, we've found it *very* worthwhile to buy an insane amount of canned goods to the library. They are offering $1 off of fines per donated canned good. Canned veggies at the grocery store? $0.37. Just thought others might benefit as well. :001_tt2: 17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartlikealion Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 This thread reminded me to see if we had any fines. I guess I just barely got those books in the book drop in time because I just checked the website. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvToRead Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Our library does this right before Christmas. You can even donate if you don't owe any fines, and they will put it on your account. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 We did so great when I had a young adult devoted to managing the library checkout/renewal lists..... Then she went to college and my ability to manage books fell apart. ;) I think the running tally to "pay off" this week between four cards is right under $100. Sigh. The food drive came at a lovely time. It feels like Christmas. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Our library allows such a high volume of checkouts, I decided that we only needed one card for the family. That prevented me from having to wrangle and total the debt on individual cards. It is much easier to keep track of one account. When they get old enough to drive to the library and manage their own business (aka pay their own fines), they get their own card again. But yeah, we still have fees at times, so thanks for the suggestion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mirabillis Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Yes, we've got a doozy of fines ourselves. That's what happens when you check out 150 at a time, and are a day late. Ack! We too learned long ago to keep them all on one card, with me in charge of renewing online. Alas, I don't always remember. We too will be doing food for fines. Whew! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mathnerd Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Ours allow a family member to volunteer to pay off the fines. That seems like a worthwhile way to spend time and pay off fines. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbecueMom Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Ours collects canned goods one day a month, $1 per can, up to $10 a month. I may or may not bring in a case per account more than once a year... darn video late charges. (I need to get food for this and for the Boy Scouts drive this weekend, thanks for the reminder!) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zinnia Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Our library cuts us off at $10. No more renewals, check outs, and you can't reserve. I pay that a few times a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sara in AZ Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Oh yes. I love for November and May. Our library does a canned food drive in Nov/Dec (a certain number of cans clears your whole card. I can't remember the exact number) and in May/June a case of water will clear your entire card. Minus lost items that have been billed, of course. I always have a couple cards that run $50-$80 ish dollar fines, so I love these drives. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 (edited) Our library cuts us off at $10. No more renewals, check outs, and you can't reserve. I pay that a few times a year! Ours has a $20 cutoff. However, here's the catch - if you check out a LOT of things at one time and they all end up late? You can end up with an $80+ bill from one visit. Ask me how I know. :p Hypothetically, of course, I have a "friend" who had just that exact scenario.... Edited November 14, 2016 by BlsdMama 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderchica Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Do you get reminders of due dates? Library Elf sends texts and emails, I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Our library doesn't play. If you are over $25 for more than 60 days, they turn your account over to a collections agency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Our library system doesn't charge fines. You can renew a book twice (for a total check out of 9 weeks). If you are more than two months late returning a book, you buy the book. End of story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
displace Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 I don't see ours forgiving fines. I also have used too many cards to manage too many things and then owe a lot of fees. I need a better routine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted November 15, 2016 Author Share Posted November 15, 2016 Our library system doesn't charge fines. You can renew a book twice (for a total check out of 9 weeks). If you are more than two months late returning a book, you buy the book. End of story. Ouch. So what happens when you return a book you've been charged for? We've done this -returned a book *really* late - initially you are charged for the book, but then the book is refunded and you are given the max fine - $4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexigail Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 We just did this!!! It was a huge relief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4everHis Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 (edited) Many libraries are starting to have 'Fine Forgiveness Day." What they really want is to have their stuff back. =) Following is the ad in the library newsletter. You can talk to your library director about instituting this at your library. Call or stop in anytime during regular library hours to clear overdue fines from your account. Please note: items must be returned first, and fines forgiveness does not cover fees for lost or damaged items, nor does it cover the $10 non-refundable collection agency fee. Edited November 15, 2016 by connib Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrapbookbuzz Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 I rarely go to the library anymore as we always seem to rack up fines. I'd rather own the books anyway, so I can mark them up as I see fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmamatx Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 I wish ours would do this - We've stopped using the library after a lengthy illness racked up the fines. I can't afford to pay them right now, and the only option given was a payment plan with 50% paid up front which is still too much for my budget. I even offered to work them off with volunteer hours or something and they declined - they just want the cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suzanne in ABQ Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 Ouch. So what happens when you return a book you've been charged for? We've done this -returned a book *really* late - initially you are charged for the book, but then the book is refunded and you are given the max fine - $4. I don't know. They send it to collections, and then you have 52 days (or something like that) to pay for the book. This is after a 9 week check-out, so that's a really long time. I guess if you pay for the book, it's yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutingmom Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Ours let's kids read off their fingers now. If they hit the cut off, or I think near the anniversary of getting their card, they can sign up. They go to the library, select a book, check in, and get an amount off their fingers for every 15 minutes they read(or look at it for younger kids). They apparently also have a day when they forgive fingers of people who have been cut off for fines. No idea when though, I think it is random. So I generally have school books on the kids cards... I do use my own card for my own reading though. Her you paid for a book, there is possibly a short time to return it and get some of that money back (a restocking fee is kept), but if it is totally out of the system it is yours if you wanted it or not. I did get the library to stamp it with the discard stamp though. Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Ours let's kids read off their fingers now. If they hit the cut off, or I think near the anniversary of getting their card, they can sign up. They go to the library, select a book, check in, and get an amount off their fingers for every 15 minutes they read(or look at it for younger kids). They apparently also have a day when they forgive fingers of people who have been cut off for fines. No idea when though, I think it is random. So I generally have school books on the kids cards... I do use my own card for my own reading though. Her you paid for a book, there is possibly a short time to return it and get some of that money back (a restocking fee is kept), but if it is totally out of the system it is yours if you wanted it or not. I did get the library to stamp it with the discard stamp though. Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk Best autocorrects ever. :lol: :lol: :lol: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoutingmom Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Stupid autocorrect Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Great idea. I never had too much of an issue with fines as we have a 2nd hand HS store here and the books are 50% of retail and I found buying a $4 book was cheaper than the library fines! And I could resell it for at least $3 usually. Plus the library was 25 min. away and too much of a pain to rely on them actually having the books. We did use it, just not AS much as purchasing. But my friend works at the library in VA and says they will waive fines if you ask. Their fines also cap, so once you hit the ceiling, you don't get charged anymore. Don't know about waving fines here. I haven't asked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 What a great idea. I wish our library did this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Best autocorrects ever. :lol: :lol: :lol: I didn't even grasp that it was an autocorrect issue. I was really analyzing what kind of finger based reading program it could be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksr5377 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I wish ours did this. We just moved and in the middle of the chaos I forgot that I had taken the kids to get library cards and then grandma took them to check out books a few days later. We're at about $80, and you can't check books out once you get past a $3 fine. I'm trying very hard not to think about all the books I could have purchased and kept for $80. Apparently there's no maximum fine either, so it just keeps going up and up until you bring the book back. I guess that's better than being sent to collections? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.Ivy Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Just FYI, my big-city public library gives teacher's library cards to homeschoolers, which are exempt from all overdue fines. The checkout period is longer, too. If you are a big library user you might want to see if your library has special teacher's cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Best autocorrects ever. :lol: :lol: :lol: Hahahahaha!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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