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Feeling Nostalgic? The archives > How diligent are you with returning library books?

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message 1: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments How diligent are you with returning library books?

My 11 year old left a copy of The Westing Game in his school desk, and now he's on spring break. The book was due yesterday and can't be renewed because he already renewed it. Grr.

Normally I'm pretty good about library due dates. I know the library doesn't care that much if I'm a day late, usually, but I'm esp. careful with library books where there's a waiting list because I've been on the other end of that, waiting for a book and someone's late with it...

You?


message 2: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i do good with books usually and not so good with DVD's which is a prob because they have like a $0.50 a day fine. i get them thinking i will watch and then forget all about them. i rarely have overdue books because i read much and reasonably fast plus i go to the library at least twice a week. my daughter works and always informs me if i have a fine much to her delight. we use a text/email circulation notice at our library to let you know when books are due


message 3: by [deleted user] (new)

Sometimes not so good. My daughters seem to "misplace" the occasional book, resulting in a fine or two or worse. Right now I'm on the hook for two books we just can't seem to locate that they may have returned to their school library instead of our public library.


message 4: by smetchie (new)

smetchie | 4034 comments Same Clark. I'm mostly late because my daughters lose the books for a while or forever. I've occasionally been late myself because I've had to finish a book that was due back. But only once or twice.


message 5: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments Yes, my kids have done the same, return a book to the city library instead of the school library. Our library is pretty cool about the situation...guess it happens all the time.

We've lost a couple books and damaged a couple, too. I figure the replacement fees go to a good cause, but I'm still slightly pissed at myself/kids.


message 6: by [deleted user] (new)

I don't grouse too much about the fines because at least my kids are reading, much of the time under duress.

I always had my nose in a book as a kid. Guess it's not fair to expect the same from them.


message 7: by RandomAnthony (new)

RandomAnthony | 14536 comments It depends on the type of fine for me, but I tend not to make a big deal out of them, either. But if my son checks out seventeen books and never reads them, then I'm slightly pissed until, uh, I face the fact that I do the same thing sometime...

I'm worse with movies. I've checked out some movies multiple times and never watched them.


message 8: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments whenever i pay my fines i always say "use that to help buy new carpet wouldya?"


message 9: by janine (new)

janine | 7709 comments i have payed less than 1.00 in library fines in my life. the library did think i had lost one of my books and asked for replacement costs. i had just moved and the library had just remodeled and i told/lied to them i knew i had already returned it. a week later they found it. guess i had returned it automatically without even realizing i did.


message 10: by [deleted user] (new)

I'm very mindful of returning books on time. If I have a book on hold that has a pretty high waiting list, and I can't or won't dedicate enough time to finish reading it, I'll let someone else read it rather than start reading and either not finish it or keep it longer and accrue fines. Besides, I'm holding firm to my policy right now of only reading what's on my bookshelves, and not borrow books from the library.

Now, DVDs on the other hand...yeah, I always hand them back late. Can't help myself there.

With all the fines I've paid the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library System over the past 5 years, I don't see why they were thinking of closing 12 branches. Thankfully, they're not - they're scaling back hours, but, unfortunately, some jobs will be lost.


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

I hate to hear that, Gus. I love libraries. I don't think I've been in a bad one.


message 12: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments My library keeps losing books that I've returned. I log into my account and find sixty cents overdue on a book I returned early. I go to the librarian and point it out, and the fine vanishes the next day.
Except for one book that I know I returned, and which they have listed as "claims returned" -- I keep pointing out that they've lost and then found THREE other books that I've returned just since the start of this year, so maybe the problem is on their end.
Sigh.


message 13: by [deleted user] (new)

The library sends out an email reminder to me if I have a book coming due. Like Gus, I have temporarily given up reading library books due to the number I have to read already. Once I get through them I'll be back.


message 14: by [deleted user] (new)

e books and e shelves in ebary for the more sedentary of us...


message 15: by Youndyc (new)

Youndyc | 1255 comments Our library has an electronic book drop (works after hours) and it will return your book even if the library is closed. Very cool and helpful for not missing those library due dates! I'm very rarely late with my books, but I also tend to renew some items as many times as they will let me. (And I don't feel bad about it, because if somebody was waiting for it, I wouldnt' be able to renew it.)


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments I am extremely diligent about returning materials on time, but I did miss one due date recently, and had to pay .15 cents. And it was something I could have renewed, too, because I did, when I realized it was past the due date. Darn it!

I've had to return a lot of DVDs unwatched, too. I think I want to see them, but then they just SIT there...


message 17: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Maybe you're expecting those DVDs to do something on their own?


message 18: by Joy (new)

Joy I never miss a due date; not sure why since the fine is so small and the library could probably use the money.


message 19: by Sarah (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments Does the money necessarily go to the library? I remember my mother being lax about returning books because the fine would go to the library, and then being absolutely horrified to find out that it went to the city, and little of it filtered back.
I can't remember where we lived at the time - San Antonio, I think.


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments It depends on the library system where the money goes, Sarah. I worked for Corpus Christ and for Austin libraries in Texas, and those were both municipal systems, so the money would go back into the big general budget.

Currently, I'm working for a library district that serves five counties, with money coming from various sources, property tax revenue, timber sales, the state. And we just instituted late fees, so for now, that money is still all the library's.

Bwa ha ha ha ha!!!


message 21: by [deleted user] (new)

LethalLovely wrote: "I've racked up to $100 bucks in overdue fines & totally messed up my library card.But now a friend of mine has been kind(& crazy)enough to let me use their's & so far so good for the last 2 years.I..."

I suddenly don't feel so bad about the paltry $1.40 in fines I just paid off. My problem isn't the 10-20 books I have checked out at any one time, it's that the fruit of my loins have the collective attention spans of fruit flies and lose track of the books they've checked out under my account within five minutes of getting inside the front door.


message 22: by Mary (new)

Mary (madamefifi) I don't have an active library membership anymore because I seemed to be on a rent-to-own trend and it's more cost-effective to just buy books outright. Less guilt that way, too.


message 23: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments $9.60. just paid off my debt to the library. we have a new $4 max rule. if you go over that in fines you can't check out items until you get it under $4. my large total was due to some videos my wife checked out on my card and then went on vaca with. i was innocent


message 24: by [deleted user] (new)

Kevin "El Liso Grande" wrote: "$9.60. just paid off my debt to the library. we have a new $4 max rule. if you go over that in fines you can't check out items until you get it under $4. my large total was due to some videos my wi..."

That's what they all say :-)


message 25: by Dovewing (new)

Dovewing Hehe... I left one a a house my grandparents rented last summer. oops!


message 26: by Sarah (last edited Apr 13, 2010 08:14AM) (new)

Sarah | 13814 comments Knarik wrote: "I always check out 15-20 books, I just can't help it! I can't leave the library with just a book. and then my brother becomes crazy, as he has to carry all the books, drive me to the library and pi..."

Me too, Knarik! Well, not the brother part, but the checking out lots of books and taking longer than promised.


message 27: by Jaime (new)

Jaime | 158 comments A few years back I had something like 5-6 bucks in fines at the library. Then my sister started working there and wiped it out for me (and yes I know thats cheating but I didnt ask her to...she just did it and then told me about it.) Ever since then I have been fairly good about returning stuff. I may have slipped up once or twice but its a rare occassion that I even go to the library.


message 28: by Dovewing (new)

Dovewing GASP! you don't go to the library often???


message 29: by Jaime (new)

Jaime | 158 comments not usually. I have over 100 unread books that I own at home and I keep buying more.


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments I go to the library ALL THE TIME. ;)


message 31: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Like almost every day, Jackie?


message 32: by Joy (new)

Joy Did you know this is National Library Week?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/04...


message 33: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) I did not.


message 34: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) I think you probably did, too. But I'll let it slide this time.


message 35: by Jackie "the Librarian" (last edited Apr 13, 2010 03:32PM) (new)

Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments Yes, today is Library Appreciation Day, or something. There's cake EVERYWHERE!!!

Okay, not everywhere, but one at every branch in my library system, for the staff. I had a piece of chocolate Staff Appreciation cake along with my lunch. It was very good. :)


message 36: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) I never get cake at work.


message 37: by Dovewing (new)

Dovewing I've made cake for my class at school...


message 38: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Whatever you say. We have no reason to doubt.


message 39: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments just got back from the library. i returned some books


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments LethalLovely wrote: "Larry wrote: "I think you probably did, too. But I'll let it slide this time."

I did not!Although afterwards i was like "Damn,i should've stolen those library books".I'm too freaking nice."


:::looks at LethalLovely with approval:::

You are NOT too freaking nice, LethalLovely. Library books are for sharing, not for stealing, and you know that, in your heart. :)


message 41: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i wanna go to jackie's library


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments And appreciative staff. :)


message 43: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments yes, and jackie and hopefully a better selection of conn iggulden books than my local library


Jackie "the Librarian" | 8991 comments He must be popular, Kevin, because none of his nine books are checked in at the Olympia branch right now. You could put them on hold, though.

I love The Dangerous Book for Boys. I love taking that one out to the schools to show kids.


message 45: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i buy that one as a gift for my nephews. he does a great historical fiction series on Genghis Khan (4th one coming in September 2010) that i loved and he also has four books on Julius Caesar called the Emperor series that we don't have at our library. i am trying to get my daughter to do one of those inter-library deals.


message 46: by Seizure Romero (new)

Seizure Romero | 99 comments Wait... we're supposed to return library books?


message 47: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) LethalLovely wrote: "Larry,i'm hurt that you think so lowly of me.I'm just a innocent chaste virgin who doesn't even know what sex is.*tear*"

It's not about sex. It's about cake.


message 48: by Kevin (new)

Kevin  (ksprink) | 11469 comments i have only done the inter-library loans once and my daughter navigated all of it for me at the library. i feel especially careful of the books since they are not only not mine but not even my library's. i will have to see if they have the books i want. my daughter does it all the time because other libraries have better DVD complete TV show series she gets


message 49: by Youndyc (new)

Youndyc | 1255 comments Hear hear, Lethal! I'm in complete agreement.


message 50: by Félix (new)

Félix (habitseven) Ditto.


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