[Publib] Repeat Offenders

[Judy Bennett]

What do you do with those library users who have been referred to a 
collection agency multiple times?  (We use Unique Management.)  We have 
several instances in which a user has been referred, either returns the 
items and pays the fines or pays for the "lost" materials and then 
checks out again, only to be reported to debt collect once more.  We 
currently have at least one instance with a 3-time repeater (2005, 2006 
& 2007).  The 2005 items were returned and fines paid.  The user 
declared bankruptcy in 2006 and we were unable to collect.  Now 3 of the 
4 family members are in debt collect status.

My Board would like to have a policy which addresses those who go to 
debt collect multiple times. Several suggestions that have been made 
include:
    1.  When a person's status goes to debt collect the 2nd time all 
family members have suspended borrowing privileges for a certain time 
length (1 year? 2 years?)  Why all family members?  Because it has been 
our experience on numerous occasions that when one family member is in 
debt collect status he/she uses another family member's card, the same 
thing happens again, and the cycle continues with the loss rate 
mounting.  This suspension would only be for borrowing privileges; all 
family members could use the library, the public PCs and the databases 
(available in-library and at-home).
    2.  When a person's status goes to debt collect the 2nd time 
restrict all family members to 2 or 3 items (or 2 or 3 books only -- no 
non-print media is another variation of the suggestion) for a period of 
1 year or 2 years, possibly.
    3.  The 3rd time a library user goes to debt collect status the 
borrowing privileges would be suspended or revoked for a longer time 
period for all family members.  5 years? Permanently?
    4.  Or another suggestion -- after the 3rd instance -- the only way 
the individual or any family members could borrow items would be to pay 
for the items -- in cash -- prior to checkout.  When the items are 
returned, the cash would be returned.

These are some of the ideas that Board and staff have suggested.  What 
does your library do?  What do you recommend?  If you have a policy 
regarding "repeat offenders" would you please share it?

My thanks in advance for your help.  I would often be floundering 
without the advice I glean from Publibers!

Judy

-- 
Judy K. Bennett
Director
Derby Public Library
611 N Mulberry, Suite 200
Derby KS 67037
316-788-0760 (phone)
316-788-7313 (fax)
judy at derbylibrary.com