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We charge a fine in our middle school library. A few years ago I read in one of our library journals about a school librarian's plan that allows students to "read off" their fines. I have adapted and adopted the program and it is widely taken advantage of. I love this program and the good will it brings. Kids and parents appreciate it. Our fine is 50 yen per day. We wipe off 100 yen for every 10 minutes a student reads for pleasure. Students cannot do homework. Pleasure reading, only. We usually have a student reading off a fine, or part of a fine, every lunch period. I insist on a 10 minute minimum. My partner and I keep track of: who is in to read, grade [no reason, just interested statistically] the amount of her/his fine, what time s/he starts reading, what time s/he finishes reading, and bal. due. Finally, my assistant will sign off the fine when it has been fully resolved, and the change has been documented in our system. I also have a photo on display at our circulation desk of me paying off my fine at the Fairfield (Conn.) Public Library last summer. Some of the kids get a kick out of this. Best regards, Martin Swist mswist@asij.ac.jp Middle School LMS Middle School XC Coach The American School In Japan 1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi, Tokyo "The heart is a little to the left." (Rev.) William Sloane Coffin ________________________________ From: School Library Media & Network Communications on behalf of Marsha Redd Sent: Thu 12/13/2007 3:49 AM To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU Subject: [LM_NET] overdue/lost books I do charge fines of 5 cents per day for overdue books. However, I forgive fines that are 50 cents or less. That gives students 2 extra weeks to get the book in. If a book is still overdue after 3 weeks, the student gets a notice stating that the book needs to be returned within one week or the student's computer access will be disabled. The computer access part is new this year per my district library administrator's directive. I have to say that this is working quite well especially since students with disabled computer access must go to in-school suspension for the hour if their class goes to a computer lab. That said, I am pretty accommodating when students come and talk to me about an overdue issue. If they say they turned it in or they never remember checking it out, I usually take their word for it. And I wheel and deal with the fines. I round the amount down. Sometimes I let them work it off in the library. I don't let kids take out books if they have one overdue. Sorry, but I think it is a responsibility issue as well as the fact that the student who already has books overdue is often a bad risk. I don't want to send the message to the students that the due date is meaningless. Marsha Redd Librarian, Kelloggsville High School Grand Rapids, MI marsharedd@hotmail.com Education is not a goal; it is a life-long process. Everyone is a student. Everyone is a teacher. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------