Circ Policy (was Re: your mail)

[Joni J Rathbun <jrathbun@EDNET1.OSL.OR.GOV>]

Since we automated (several years ago), I've found it much easier to be
more flexible. THat is, I do not operate with a "book-for-a-book" policy.
Instead, our young students are allowed to have 3 items out at a time.
After two weeks, an item becomes "overdue." IfIfe.g., a student borrows two
items today they can borrow a third item next week if no items are
overdue, etc. I consider this{ fair and equally as effective in getting
any "responsibility" messages across. It also offers our students some
options and - that word again - flexibility. I may not know today that
I will need a book on wolves tomorrow, even though I'm not finished with
the book I borrowed yesterday... Kids are the same. I've run into no
problems. Kids and parents find it a fair policy. And exceptions are
occasionally made for those last-minute reports. That is - a fourth or
fifth item is allowed. If, however, overdues exsist, those exceptions are
pretty rare (tho never to complete denial of resources to a student in
need).




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>On Fri, 18 Nov 1994, Global SchoolNet Fdn (FrEdMail) wrote:
>
>> Newsgroups: schl.sig.lmnet
>> Path: cjmacalp
>> From: cjmacalp@llwcny.ll.pbs.org (Jean Macalpine)
>> Subject: q
>> Organization: LLWCNY / PBS Learning Link
>> Date: Fri, 18 Nov 1994 20:23:56 GMT
>> Message-ID: <CzHCnw.7us@llwcny.ll.pbs.org>
>> X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2]
>>
>> I need to find a solution to a massive overdue problem.  We are a school of
>> approximately 850 students and 50 staff.  We have an automated circulation
>> system, and we have probably around 50 overdue books every day.  My policy
>> has always been that students must return a book to get a book.  (If they
>> take two books, they must return two to get two more.)  Parents sometimes
>> complain that their child comes home "in tears" because they were forbidden
>> to take a book, although they are told they can come to the library the next
>> day and pick out a book if they bring theirs back.  I cannot see where there
>> is any deprivation, and I am attempting to teach responsibility, but I am
>> getting more and more protests from parents, and my principal would like me
>> to come up with a more forgiving policy.  Does anyone have any suggestions?
>>
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--
Joni Rathbun, Media Specialist and Instructional Facilitator
Lincoln County School District - The Orygun Coast
jrathbun@ednet1.osl.or.gov   *** If you need a vacation, you should ***
jrathbun@efn.org                     *** see the state I'm in ***