bring back our books or pay the fine

[depechemodefan]

One of my not so fun duties is searching for items from people who swear they brought in their books/dvds/cds/etc.

If we find/don't find an item, we have to go into the patron's record and note that. Of course, the list we use doesn't have the name of the patron, so we have to look that up. So not fun.

One patron I had to edit had this wonderful note from a while ago, making me think that this person shouldn't be allowed to borrow anything anymore. Sorry about the all-caps:

x 05/20/10 CUSTOMER UNDERSTANDS SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FINES ON THIS ACCOUNT. EXPLAINED FINES TO CUSTOMER AND CUSTOMER SEEMED UPSET. SHE HAS A DUPLICATE ACCOUNT IN THE SYSTEM AND HAS BEEN INFORMED SHE CANNOT CHECK OUT UNTIL THIS BALANCE IS PAID IN FULL. CUSTOMER DENIES HAVING FINES AND SAID SOMEONE SAID THEY WOULD REMOVE THEM, HOWEVER COULD NOT PROVIDE TIMES, DATES OR PEOPLE SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH. SHE CLAIMS TO HAVE A RECIEPT FOR THESE FINES THAT SAID THEY WERE 8.00, HOWEVER SHE HAD PREVIOUSLY STATED SHE HAD NOT HAD ANY FINES. INFORMED CUSTOMER SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FINES OF 9.00 BEFORE SHE CAN CHECK OUT AGAIN ON HER DUPLICATE ACCT. CUSTOMER THEN STATED WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD HER TO THE FINES SINCE WE NEVER UPDATED HER ADDRESS. INFORMED CUSTOMER THE FINES ARE VALID AND AS STAND. ZZ/LST

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Did any one else read that in a VERY LOUD MONOTONE VOICE?

Are all your notes written in all caps? That would drive me bonkers! Also, lady needs to just pay her damn fine. If she can't afford $9.00, she should return her stuff on time.

[rose_metal_nz]

This just in: Apparently - shocking - if you don't return your books/dvds/other rentals on time YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY A FINE FOR THEM!
I know, I know, it's terrible - and a brand new system, just for depechemodefan's customers. Terrible, ain't it?

[cindybubbles]

I read it like an official telegram. As if you were reporting to the military's top brass.

[Lingerie_Lackey]

My mum works in a library and gets people like this all. the. time. The fines for overdue books are ridiculously low, something like 20p per day, yet people still contest them and try to weasle out of paying. Nevermind the fact that they just got to read a book for free

[depechemodefan]

About the all caps:

Person wants a library card, they fill out a form. Then they show their id. A record is made and the name, address, email, etc has to be in all caps. Now the people who type-up the records leave their keyboard on all-caps. They are also the people who have to put up with people's excuses, so they don't bother to remove the all-caps when they edit someone's record. They are probably so use to all-caps.

CUSTOMER THEN STATED WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD HER TO THE FINES SINCE WE NEVER UPDATED HER ADDRESS.

Did the bitch bother to give us her new address? Of course not, she doesn't want to be tracked!

[Pixilated]

My Hometown library, for some reason, has gone to a no-fines policy. What happens instead is they suspend down your account, so you (obviously) can't check out any more books/DVDs/CDs, etc., and I'm guessing you can't use the library's computers either. Once you return the items, they reactivate your account. I'm curious to know why they stopped charging late fines but haven't got around to asking yet. (I was also told that if a book is gone for TOO long -- and I don't know how long is TOO long -- the borrower will be charged for a replacement.)

[Teefies2]

I don't know about your library's policies, but my library allows you to check out books/DVDs/etc. for three (3) weeks. And then, once the due date has come and you haven't returned them, you are given one week's grace period. Then, and only then, are you charged fines.

What the heck is so hard about returning something within one month (30 days) ??????

[Antares]

What the heck is so hard about returning something within one month (30 days) ??????

You have to ask that question here of all places?

[KellyHabersham]

My mum works in a library and gets people like this all. the. time. The fines for overdue books are ridiculously low, something like 20p per day, yet people still contest them and try to weasle out of paying. Nevermind the fact that they just got to read a book for free

We had a customer like that yesterday......although since I don't want to hijack this thread, I'll just say that she bitched about getting charged less than a dollar in fines. (she claimed she returned her books before the library was open)

[dragon_wings]

I still owe about $6 to the Baltimore County library system. Do you see me bitching about it, even after moving back to Tennessee? No. I pay my fines. Even if it's been 4 months (finances have been tight).
Now the library system in the county I live in now is pretty cool. I've had one or two over due book since coming back. I had to pay a total of $.50 in fines (which I happily paid). And one day I went to the library to renew a book that was due the previous day. I expected to have to pay a fine but the librarian said there's a one day grace period. Which is awesome!
Only disadvantage of <local county library> compared to Baltimore County library is that <local county library> can't take payments by card. Cash only. I don't carry cash often.

[Mytical]

Also, I've had fines waived. Owed a whole $3 dollars because I moved, lost the books for awhile and found them finally. Note that this was at 5c a day (only a couple of books too) each. So I had them quite awhile. I never mentioned the move, just told them (honestly) that I had forgot all about them and would like to please pay the fine. Fine got waived. It can pay to be pleasant about things.

[mhkohne]

I still owe about $6 to the Baltimore County library system. Do you see me bitching about it, even after moving back to Tennessee? No. I pay my fines. Even if it's been 4 months (finances have been tight).
Now the library system in the county I live in now is pretty cool. I've had one or two over due book since coming back. I had to pay a total of $.50 in fines (which I happily paid). And one day I went to the library to renew a book that was due the previous day. I expected to have to pay a fine but the librarian said there's a one day grace period. Which is awesome!
Only disadvantage of <local county library> compared to Baltimore County library is that <local county library> can't take payments by card. Cash only. I don't carry cash often.

Ahh, our local library is cash only as well. That was quite unexpected the day I went in to pay for some lost books (we have no idea how 3 kids books got lost in the car between the library and the house). I just sort of assumed they'd take a card for such a large amount ($18 per book or something), but I ended up having to run around to find an ATM to actually finish the job.

[Teefies2]

You have to ask that question here of all places?

Mea culpa