LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Seeing some of the recent comments on this reminds of an incident which
occurred before I started working here. An adult borrower would take
books out and kept reporting them lost. The woman who preceded me in this
position finally figured out that this borrower was, in essence, using us
as a bookstore. So the next time the borrower came and reported a book
lost, he was told that our charge for lost books had been raised to $50.
He paid the $50 and stopped losing books. We tell borrowers we would
rather have the book back than get the $50. If the book is returned
before it is withdrawn from the collection, the charge reverts to a $5
late fine or whatever fine there might be if the book is still simply
overdue (we charge 5 cents a day per book in overdue fines). We are also
loath to accept another copy which has been purchased by the borrower.
The $50 charge also leaves room to show mercy, especially when more than
one book is lost. Videos are $100 if they are lost. Since we are an
educational institution, a charge like this is sufficient to hold up
grades, graduation, and transcripts. Personally, I have had many people
come and tell me a book was lost, and when I've told them the price was
$50, they say they'll look for it again. About 9 times out of 10 the book
is returned either later that day or within a few days.
A. J. Thomas
LM_NET
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