Netters:
Here are of my two ideas (retrieved from the archives)to share about
getting back (or getting paid for) lost/late or moved-with-kid books. I
posted idea #1 last year in April 2002, and idea #2 back in '00. These
ideas generated LOTS of thank you's last time around, so perhaps they'll be
helpful to many of you again this year.
Idea #1:
A roving office clerk in our district who helps out at a number of school
sites "as needed" mentioned this to me last week and I thought it was a
great idea to share:
In receiving new student records from other districts she has noticed that
the first sheet of paper in the folder may be a FLORESCENT colored one with
the details of any textbooks, library books, or other debts owed the school.
Using a sheet of very bright paper makes it obvious to the receiving clerk
and certainly sends a strong message to the staff at the new school that
cannot be easily ignored. (My past experience is that school secretaries
seem to have an unwritten loyalty among their peers concerning "dead-beat"
kids and parents! I've been told by one secretary that she won't even send
the requested record until she gets a check for the debts owed!)
From this point on, if I need to include a message about lost/unpaid
library books to the school receiving our transferring student, I will use
florescent paper, and request that the clerk place it at the FRONT of the
file.
In addition, if I have any parents who continue to ignore library bills, I
will make TWO copies of the "final notice" on florescent paper and notify
the parents that an identical copy of the bill has been placed in the
student's permanent record, and will be removed only WHEN THEY PAY THE BILL
IN FULL.
If this isn't a "brite" idea ("Brite" being a name brand of one of the
florescent papers!), I don't know what is! If we (office staff & library
personnel) all start using florescent paper, we will certainly send a
strong, uniform message to those parents who frequently avoid paying their
debts, knowing they will be moving shortly.
Idea #2
I have a phone right at my circ desk. Now when I have "forgetters" with
books more than 2 weeks overdue, or the ones who ALWAYS forget, I have them
call home on the spot! Most families now have an answering machine, so I
tell them to leave a message reminder to themselves. Usually a parent hears
the message, reminds them to get the book and put it in their backpack.
Even if they tell me they don't have an answering machine (or service), and
they say "No one's at home" I still have them call. They are often
surprised that someone is home! This works better for me than placing the
calls myself, since my Spanish isn't always intelligible, and I don't speak
any Vietnamese, Chinese, or Korean (yet!).
If there isn't anyone at home, I then have them WRITE OUT the reminder and
the book title.
When that doesn't work, I come in early, 45 minutes before the first bell
and begin calling them at home BEFORE they leave for school. If a parent
seems upset or frazzled, I politely say that the book is very late and I
thought they'd prefer a phone call before I send out a bill (or send a
referral to the vice principal) . . . 99% of the time, they do appreciate
it when explained politely in that fashion, and the book comes back within
a day or two.
*************************************************************
Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Technician (A.K.A. "Library Lady")
Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD Garden Grove, California
shatz1@earthlink.net
" You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world
to one person."
- - - comments are my own and may not reflect those of my employer- - -
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