Re: [LM_NET] Target: Repair or replace? Where is the line?

[Lisa Hunt <lisa3moon@YAHOO.COM>]

I want to believe that I professionaly evaluate individual situations.  Here are a 
few examples:
   
  All the paperbacks in our library were "free" books from the book fairs.  When 
one comes back damaged it's not too bad - 1) A student walks into the library and 
sadly explains that the book got soaked in his backpack or hold the book in two 
pieces explaining that she's sorry her desk was just too packed.  Then, I just say 
thank you for being honest.  I'll take care of it.  I quietly throw the book away 
thankful that the students did what I instructed, "Always be honest and tell me 
when a book gets damaged."  2)  Student dumps off a book in the book return, and 
it's in shreds but the student says nothing.  I check in the book, and the student 
is still in the library looking for another book.  I'm not a happy librarian and I 
ask "What happened to this book."  Oh I do hope they don't say "It was like that 
when I checked it out."
   
  Honest students don't pay for paperbacks.  Dishonest one are charged.
   
  When it is a hard back book I also consider individual situations.  Trade 
hardbacks often don't last long and sometimes I don't make students pay for the 
damaged book (5 years old; 25+ checkouts.)  We probably got out money's worth out 
of it.
   
  When the dog eats the book I ask them to pay for it.
   
  When they are blatantly irresponsible and show no remorse I ask them to pay for 
it.

"Sara J. Reinders" <sreinders@ADACHRISTIAN.ORG> wrote:
  When a student returns a book with damage, how do you decide whether
you're going to repair or charge the student to replace it? Do you
primarily consider the percentage of the book that's been damaged? The
type of damage (water, torn page, dog attack, chocolate pudding?) The
amount of time that will be needed to make the book useable again? The
price or age of the book? The remorse shown by the student? 



We don't charge for every little thing, and of course there's such a
thing as normal wear and tear. If I threw out every book that had torn
pages, a battered spine, crayon marks, water warping, a stray chocolate
stain, or a couple of toothmarks from a dog, this place would be pretty
empty. However, I sometimes wonder if students assume that it's OK to
mistreat library books because, after all, the library is full of
mistreated and repaired books. 



I'm just wondering where other people draw the lines - this is one of
those things that didn't get covered in library school, and this is the
only place I know to ask questions like this! :-)

Sara Reinders, LMS
Ada Christian School

Ada, MI

sreinders@adachristian.org


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        Lisa Hunt
  School Library Media Specialist
  National Board Certified Teacher
  Moore, OK





                
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