Librarian Ire

Thursday, January 26, 2006

A due date means something is DUE on that date.

I don't know why this is so hard to understand for people. When a book is due - it's DUE. When you check out a reserve, you do so next to the large sign telling you what happens if you do not return the book by the overdue time. You get a receipt with the due date & time. The student tells you when exactly the book is due and reminds you - in case you can't read the sign - that you get fines if the book is returned after that time.

Let's review:
What will happen if you do not return the book when it is due? You will be fined.

Exceptions?
Why sure. If you die. If you are in a coma or otherwise unconscious in a hospital and you can produce documentation if required. If you've been jailed or kidnapped. All excuses will have their fines forgiven until you can return the book.

Phoning or emailing us on the due date informing us you can't return the item today because you have to work, your car broke, your flight was delayed, you've got a headache, your mom needs you to clean the garage - none of these count. You knew when you took the book when it was due. You were accepting responsibility for the items return and if the outside world affected your plans the book is still your responsibility.

How can people not get this?

2 comment(s):

A woman who continuosly asks to have her fines forgiven spent 10 minutes berating the branch manager at my library last week. The only reason she even has that fine is because they thought they lost that movie, but they returned it. She refused to accept that the $5 fine was because that is the maximum fine for late videos. If it's more than 10 days late, you pay $5. Obviously they returned the movie, or it would have been a $50 replacement fee. Sheesh!

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 8:14 PM  

What bugs me is recalls. If your book is recalled that means someone else needs it.
So return it. And don't whine about paying overdue fines on that.
Had you cared about anything other than yourself we wouldn't be having this conversation.

By Blogger Nike, at 9:40 PM  

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