hit => teacher overdues

[Tottenville HS <sl05561@LLWNET.LL.PBS.ORG>]

I'd like to thank everyone for all the suggestions of how to handle teacher
overdues.  It seems to be a problem in many schools.  Below are the
responses that I received.
                  ^     ^              Linda Strauss
                ((.)   (.))            Tottenville H.S. Library
         ---oOo-----(_)-----oOo---     Staten Island, NY 10312
...peeking over the edge of technology.
SL05561@llwnet.ll.pbs.org

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 06:49:41 -0600 (CST)
From: "Karel A. Smith" <ksmith@services.dese.state.mo.us>
Subject: Re: teacher overdues
We check out teacher materials for the semester and sometimes
even for
the year!  However, if a student needs something and the teacher
has had
the item/s for *a while* we do not hesitate to request it for the
student
and surprisingly enough that gets things returned quickly!  We
take the
stance of bringing our records up to date at the end of each
year, by
sending out *friendly reminders*   according to our records, you
have the
following materials checked out...Hope this helps

Karel A. Smith, Librarian/District Coordinator          Library
Media Center
Hazelwood Central High School                     15875 New Halls
Ferry Road
Florissant,MO 63031

Voice>1-314-839-9516  Fax>1-314-839-9561

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 08:47:41 EST
From: s_lochhead@mentor.unh.edu
     Don't fool with fines - just send 'em a bill for
replacement.  If this
is troubling, have the principal take care of enforcement.
     I don't expect your boss wants to explain to the school
board and
budget committee why the school runs a free bookstore for
employees only.
Best,
Shelley
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Shelley Lochhead, Librarian       ____/|
603-746-4167  x230
Hopkinton High School             \ o.O|
S_Lochhead@mentor.unh.edu
297 Park Avenue                    =(_)=              AppleLink:
ALOT32
Contoocook, NH   03229               U               Mentor:
S_Lochhead
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 09:15:03 -0500 (EST)
From: Julie Burwinkel- Librarian <BURWINKEL_J@HCCA.OECN.OHIO.GOV>
    Linda--I allow all the staff to borrow items on "indefinite
loan".  At
    the end of the school year--usually in mid-May-we send
reminders.  If a
    teacher can not find something he or se borrowed, we do
charge them for
    it--most of them are good about paying.  Perhaps you could
withhold
    their grades(ha!Ha!)  Julie Burwinkel

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 13:39:32 -0600 (CST)
From: Lucinda Menkhus <lmenkhus@services.dese.state.mo.us>
     I have gotten a few teachers to pay for lost books.  But
many teachers
keep books out for years.  I have gone to teacher's classroom to
get
materials, both when school was in session and during summer
break.  I
have  refrained from approaching  administrators about the
problem, but I am
considering this approach this  summer with a few staff members.

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 15:59:02 -0600 (CST)
From: Margo Rudder <rudder@tenet.edu>
     This is probably every school librarian's lament.  I send
out notices
every six weeks letting teachers know what they have out.  From
time to
time someone will come in and claim that they don't have that
item.  We
then look on the shelf and if it is there check it in.
(Occasionally things
do get shelved with out being checked in.  This happens no matter
how
careful we are.)  But often the item isn't there.  Now what!? The
teacher
says she never took it but it isn't on the shelf and it is
checked out
under her name?!
     Until this year we have never charged the teachers for
missing items but a
teacher last year left with about 10 items still checked out to
her.  We
have a new principal and she thinks teachers should be
responsible.  I've
been told to organize a committee of teachers and we will decide
what's to
be done. We meet next month. In my district it varies from school
to
school, some charge, some don't.  If the teachers decide, then
I'm sure
they will choose NOT to pay.  Personally, it only bothers me when
someone
has several missing items.  At that point I think they are being
careless
and perhaps have too many items out in the first place, if they
can't keep
up with them.
Let me know what the others do.
Margo Rudder
Barton Elem. in Irving, Texas (near Dallas)
rudder@tenet.edu

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 21:27:48 -0500
From: jmcgee@k12.ucs.umass.edu (Joanne McGee (Northfield ES))
     I would be interested in any helpful replies.  I have a real
problem even
here at the elementary level.  My teachers assume a dazed, faroff
look when
asked for books!
Joanne McGee                           413-498-5842
Librarian                           jmcgee@k12.ucs.umass.edu
Northfield Elementary School
Northfield MA 01360

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 21:32:43 -0500 (EST)
From: Linda Sweeting <sweeting@umd5.umd.edu>
     PLEASE let me know the results of your request!!!  I have a
few "hard
core" teachers who are impossible!!!
Thanks,
Linda Sweeting
Library Media Specialist
Parkdale High School, Prince George's Co., Maryland

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 20:49:02 -0600 (CST)
From: Guusje Zimmerman Moore <guusje@tenet.edu>
     In my district it's policy that teachers can't "check out"
at the end of
the year without a number of signitures...one of which is mine
attesting
to the fact that yes, they have turned in all their library
materials! I
don't charge for "lost" items since usually one of their students
stold
it...and that's never more than a couple of books a year.  Most
of my
teachers have at least 100 items checked out at anyone time but
so long as
I get it back at the end of the year, I don't hassle them much
about it.
Good Luck!
                           Guusje Moore
                 Librarian, Housman Elementary School
                           Houston, Texas
                          guusje@tenet.edu

Date: Tue, 15 Mar 1994 20:45:07 -0600 (CST)
From: Melissa Davis <mbdavis@tenet.edu>
     We don't charge fines for teacher overdues but if a teacher
loses an item
we do expect them to pay for it. The rationale is that regardless
of who
lost it, we still need to replace it. We've never had anyone
complain
about this policy. (Well the students sometimes do complain that
teachers
don't pay fines (:,>  ) And yes we send overdue notices to
teachers as
well as students.
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Melissa Davis                   Librarian
        Splendora Middle School         Splendora I.S.D.
        P O Box 168                     Splendora, TX 77372
        Internet: mbdavis@tenet.edu     PHONE: (713)689-2853
        CompuServe: 75146,771
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Date: TDate: Thu, 17 Mar 1994 08:52:56 -0500 (EST)
From: KMP_TOPE@MEC.OHIO.GOV
There are only 30 teachers in our building of 500 students, so
the problem is
somewhat different.  We do not give teacheut overdues; it is the standard
overdue
notice, but I
write a personal note asking if they are finished with the
material or if
they wish to renew the books.  Many will turn in the books or
have much effect, but it makes them stop and think.  Right now I
have
a science teacher who owes for one; I know he will pay, but like
all
teachers he wants to wait and see if it turns up.  t list that teachers must
complete
before
leaving at the end of the year.  The principal is the last one to
see the
list, and when he sees the librarian's line blank, he asks why.
Sometimes
hhe excuses the teacher and sometimes he doesn't.  Unfortunately,
it is
usually the same teacher who gets by with the transgression and
offends
time and again.

Date: Sun, 20 Mar 1994 17:16:47l
materials must
be returned at the end of the year or the teacher does not
receive his/her
last pay check.  All staff members have a check off list and my
name is on
the list.  Believe me, ev