Library Etiquette: To Return or Not Return?

[John (Taloni)]

I just returned my kindle copy of The Last Wish, along with some other books I'd recently borrowed. All had plenty of time left on their loan period. I figured at a minimum there might be an S&L member waiting for The Last Wish, and the Alastair Reynolds series made me wait to get it, so presumably others want to read it as well.

Do peeps return books early when they are done, or just let the loan expire? If I have a sense that the book is "hot," I'll tend to make the modest effort to return. That's if it's an S&L pick or if I had to put the book on hold to get it. For others, like my read of Discworld or of Wheel of Time, the books didn't seem to be in such high circulation any more by the time I got to them, so I just let them expire.

[Paul]

Good question. As with so much, I'd say the golden rule applies - do unto others...

[Joel]

If it's a newer book that I know people are wanting to read (i.e. I had to put a hold on it myself and wait in a queue to get it.), I try to return it as quickly as I can. Movies too, for the same reason.

[Mel (booksandsundry)]

If the book is on hold for another person and I have no reason to keep it (i.e. as a reference for a book discussion) then I'll get it back asap. I assume if they haven't placed a hold though that it's just a browse choice for others and so I'm not in a hurry then.

The books I borrow are also physical copies, so having to get down to the library also plays a factor in my decision. I'm more likely to do a bulk return or make the effort when something I've requested comes in.

I try never to go overdue though, I don't want anyone to go without because I couldn't get it back in time.

[Trike]

I return when I'm done, unless it's an old book no one else is (apparently) waiting for.

[Kev]

If I remember, I'll return it. But I haven't found a way to do it from the Kindle itself. I usually have to use my PC to do so.

[Heather]

I always return books when I'm done with them. Often, my library online has 1 kindle copy of something. Even if I didn't have to wait to check it out, someone is likely waiting for it. I also hate clutter and like to keep my rentals off my Kindle when I'm done. It frees up space for more loans as well.

[Aaron]

Overdrive doesn't offer an early return option or I would return ebooks sooner. The best I could do was set my checkout period to the minimum.

[Heather]

Aaron wrote: "Overdrive doesn't offer an early return option or I would return ebooks sooner. The best I could do was set my checkout period to the minimum."

I use Overdrive. You have to go to the "manage device and contents" page on Amazon if you have a Kindle. You can return them from there.

[Rick]

Aaron wrote: "Overdrive doesn't offer an early return option or I would return ebooks sooner. The best I could do was set my checkout period to the minimum."

Yes it does. Press the book, you get a menu with Return on it (in the overdrive app. No idea about Kindle)

[Joanna Chaplin]

I generally speaking return library ebooks pretty soon after I finish them. I have decided to just buy picks because I can afford it now and I can have it on time, whereas other books, a week or so after the previous in the series doesn't make too much difference. I am also not certain, but if there are other S&L members in Massachusetts, they haven't identified themselves as such.

[John (Taloni)]

^ One of the S&L peeps lives in my town so I know I'm always competing with her for the monthly pick. Probably there are others who haven't shown up to the monthly meetup. And then the larger Los Angeles library system, there have got to be a bunch of S&L'ers there.

I'll buy picks if I can't find them at the library, but I've found a stunningly large percent of them. It led me to the entire Discworld collection, all available from my podunksville library, and the followup to The Sparrow, among many others. In a sense S&L has reintroduced me to the local library, with many benefits.

[J]

I definitely try to return my eBooks as soon as I finish them, especially if there is a wait list. Though, I don't think this is the norm. It isn't particularly intuitive, and one of my coworkers had to walk me through how to do that, after I had complained about not being able to.

On the other hand, if I don't finish a book before the due date (with a physical book, since the eBook auto-returns itself), I never feel bad about keeping it over time and paying the fee. The fee is quite small and I have little issue with giving my money to the public library.

[John (Taloni)]

^I feel weird keeping books past the due date and will make an extra effort to return. That's not too hard - there is an outside return slot for my library, and it is close to my home as well as on my route to work. But I will always drop a dollar or two in the donation slot every time I go in. It's the least I can do.

[Aaron]

Rick wrote: "Yes it does. Press the book, you get a menu with Return on it (in the overdrive app. No idea about Kindle) "

I use the Overdrive site, not an app. No returns.

[Rick]

Aaron wrote: "Rick wrote: "Yes it does. Press the book, you get a menu with Return on it (in the overdrive app. No idea about Kindle) "

I use the Overdrive site, not an app. No returns."

Gotcha. On Kindle?

[Joanna Chaplin]

Carrie wrote: "Joanna wrote: "I generally speaking return library ebooks pretty soon after I finish them. I have decided to just buy picks because I can afford it now and I can have it on time, whereas other book..."

I think I did use the BPL for picks a couple months there and I was not good about returning the book back quickly. Sorry for that. That gives me more reason to stick to my new "always buy picks" policy and leave the BPL for things without deadlines. *checks BPL shelf* I definitely borrowed the audio of A Darker Shade of Magic and the ebook of Aurora. Thankfully, my disposable income has modified to the point where I don't have to be as much of a tightwad now. But now that I've discovered that BPL does ebooks, I am still using it quite a bit.

[John (Taloni)]

I took my own advice and returned The Draco Tavern to the LA Public Library when I was done. I was curious about whether or not anyone was waiting, so I added the book again. There were two people in front of me, plus someone got it on auto-checkout when I returned it. So someone got it faster than expected and two other people will face a shorter wait. Yeah, I like this policy.

[J]

^Man, you have to wait to finish the book...

I'm somewhat conflicted on that. How close to being done were you?

I like the idea of returning the book, especially if it is going to take more than a couple days to finish. Otherwise, I'd use my lateness as a push to get it done. But if I did return an unfinished book, I'd likely have to buy it (unless I really hated it).

[Rick]

I always return a book once I'm done. Sure, I've forgotten a few times, but unless that happens, I return it right when I finish. After all, I'm done so if someone else is looking to check it out why not make it available?