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Netters: This target generated quite a few responses, and a lot of good ideas or contrasting view points. Thanks to all who wrote! This is part 1. Part 2 follows and completes the responses, and part 3 is what I decided to do as my policy. For those of you who are interested, here are the responses: 1. Given the background of the situation, perhaps a book report on the cost of replacing a library book would be appropriate? Or maybe in some circumstances, an apology written to the book itself! "Dear Title of Book, etc."to be given to you and the classroom teacher. 2nd offenses and higher might be a chat with the principal of the school, and perhaps a "remembering" plan set in place, by where classroom peers help the offender to remember about his/her book? 2. The only similar thing I can relate is that occasionally a student will return one of our library books to the public library. Usually the library will end up mailing it to us. Then I'll assess a couple dollars for damage (if it's damaged), in addition to the fine they've racked up in the meantime. I'll also make a note on their account that they did that, in case it happens again. 3. Why not stay with the rewards for the finders, but put a little anxiety into those who forget. If you have a way to track the 'forgetters', maybe you could generate a reminder of the rules for the 2nd+ infractions. After all, students do forget, and once can be forgiven. If a student 'forgets' habitually, then maybe a short suspension of borrowing privileges could be used. And rewarding the finders who turn in books will mean that 'forgotten' books won't be left in a damaging place. You don't have to make a big deal of it,"but"word will get around. (Note: There is cn knteresting contrasting viewpoint to this letter - see #10 below) 4.. . . If the book is returned in good condition by *anyone*, I'm thankful and figure that the person checking it out has (maybe) suffered enough thinking they were going to have to pay for it. Sometimes they show up and sometimes they must be paid for. Books left in the rain, stained by KoolAid, chewed by dogs all must be paid for. I guess for me, I don't need any more issues to be a nag over :/ The same people that can't hold on to their library books are the ones who can't hold on to their homework or textbooks or winter coats. Will my nagging them change their behavior? I doubt it. All I can (or maybe it's all I *want*) to do is gently keep trying to educate them on their responsibility. 5. I've kept my policy very simple. If I get the book back undamaged and on time, there is no penalty. If it's undamaged and *late* I charge a late fine ($.10 a day--and I allow them to work off late fines in the library if they choose). If it's damaged or never returned I charge them for the book (and it must be $). 6. I felt heartsick as I read your request. But I promise to keep my signature in mind.* While acknowledging, as a given, our need to be responsible for items in our charge, I nevertheless cannot, in good conscience, agree to mete out punishment to others for making careless mistakes. Hold them accountable for lost or damaged items, for which they had agreed to accept responsibility, yes, but punish them? To what useful purpose or end? I see nothing but betrayal and resultant ill-will as a result of such choices; not to mention the absence of an opportunity to LEARN personal responsibility, without the crutch of having to be coerced into it. Just as when we sometimes forget our mission, but may be trusted to recall and return to it, should we not trust to encourage others to go back and recover what they have mislaid? Can we please reconsider, and go back for what WE forgot? * Life lesson: when someone shares something with you, it is likely they are not inviting you to beat them up for having shared it. (note from Joanne:) After reading this response, I was a bit taken aback. I certainly never meant to be tyranical or abusive in my approach with the students. It was originally students I asked for their input who used the term "punishment" (they suggested eliminating all checkouts for the rest of the year for those students- I thought that was too severe) - but I added "penalty" to my subject line as a sort of softer approach - feeling that there should be some sort of response on my part to help reinforce the responsibilty part. I should also mention that we have many students here who ARE NOT responsible and neither are their parents. We, as a staff, are diligently trying to break the chain of irresponsibility in this community of low income, welfare, gang, and prison "family lifestyles." On the reverse side of the coin, our school and staff are very positive on incentives, encouragement and self-esteem based on REAL accomplishments, not "fluffy" nebulous verbal "strokes." We have lots of activities and opportunites for POSITIVE involvement. 7. We have a demerit system in place for discipline at our school. Every student begins each term with an A; citizenship failures may reduce that A. The grade, by the way, is averaged in to the GPA, so can really help a kid. Those guilty of abandoning books are issued demerits. Number depends on condition of the book when returned. I also notify the appropriate dean, who calls the student in for a little chat about responsibility, etc. It works for us. 8. Students who lose books in building, at bus stops, on the playground, etc. are restricted to one book at a time for a school quarter (9 weeks).Those students for the most part are ones who have frequent overdues, so I don't feel guilty restricting their borrowing privileges. 9. How about requiring some sort of service in return? Perhaps they couldhelp clean, pick up trash or do some less than fun task that doesn't require much attention to detail. I think I'd remind them that if the books had been left in the rain they would have had to be cleaned , others had to pick up after them or work in return (like the kind of work their parent's would do to pay for a book) seems like a fair trade. 10. By rewarding students for returning the abandoned books, you are inviting theft. A student might take another student's book in order to get the reward, and claim that the book was abandoned. Why punish a student for abandoning a book? We all forget things! ***************************************************** (responses continued in Part 2) Joanne Ladewig Information Center Director Fairgrove Academy (a K-8 public school focusing on the Visual and Performing Arts, and Technology) La Puente, CA jladewig@ns700-1.enet.hlpusd.k12.ca.us (all lower case) home email: shatz@lightside.com =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-= To quit LM_NET (or set NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send an email message to listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST * NOTE: Please allow time for confirmation from Listserv. For LM_NET Help & Archives see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/ =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=