It's very hard to guage how much pressure to put on students and parent to return
books and pay fines. Too much pressure, and the library becomes a place where no
one wants to visit. I work in a 9-12 public high school with a fine policy on
overdues up to $5. Up until this year, it was not written in the student handbook.
It will be included next year. I believe as Carol mentioned, it's very important
to have a written policy in place. I also have amnesty weeks througout the year,
usually before Christmas break and Spring break where no fines will be charged on
overdue books. I also allow students to work of fines if money is an issue. It's
more important to me that they learn responsibility than to have the money.
However, the biggest push I get in returning books is prom tickets. Luckily the
class sponsor is our reading specialist and students are not allowed to purchase
prom tickets until they've got the all clear from the library. I usually get
around $400 in lost book costs and fines. It's a huge benefit to me. We have been
told we can not withhold transcripts or graduation due to materials not being
returned, so I work with what I can do. I have to say however that the biggest
problem I have with overdues is not the random student enrolled but those that move
to another school, quit, or enroll in the GED program. I'm working on getting the
administration to give me a heads up when a student is changing programs, but so
far I've had no luck.
Alison Paulette
>>> Carol Peterson <cpeterson79@AOL.COM> 5/25/2010 12:09 AM >>>
Our county has a policy that if a student owes ANY money to the school system
(library fines, lost text books, band or sports uniforms, etc) they do not get to
participate in the graduation ceremony. This begins in grade 6 (our middle school)
and continues through junior and senior high school. So, when my 8th and 9th grade
students get notices to come see me in the library about lost/overdue books/fines,
I point this out to them.. They don't believe me, until I show them the written
policy. That helps somewhat. At graduation practice the day before graduation,
they actually pull kids out of line and tell them they will not march the next
evening if they do not pay their fines. So, we get the money eventually! We also
have a comic strip posted in our window.....I believe it's Far Side.... that shows
a graduation where the principal is saying to the next diploma recipient, "'whoa,
whoa, not so fast....you still owe a fine from "Green Eggs and Ham" that you
checked out in elementary school" (paraphrased). Throughout this year, I have sent
notices to students, talked to them face to face, sent letters to parents, and made
phone calls. and I am amazed at how ineffective it all is. I'm sending out one
last batch of notices on Monday. After that, we turn all fines over to the
bookkeeper who sends another letter from the principal during the summer.
Sometimes that is "scarier" than getting a letter from the librarians! Good luck!
Carol H. Peterson
N. B. Clements JHS
Prince George, VA
8047332730
cpeterson@pgs.k12.va.us
Reading takes you places
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