[Publib] Parents checking out materials on child's card

[Linda Cannon]

We allow parents to check out only children's materials on the child's
card if the child isn't with them. The assumption is that children's
materials are for the child, not the parent. Our children's fines are
lower, so we do this to try to prevent those with children from
decreasing fines for themselves.
 
Checkout is blocked for anyone for whom a delinquent borrower is the
parent/responsible party. So, unfortunately, children are penalized if
their parent is irresponsible with their own card, but it prevents the
delinquent parent from bringing the child with them in order to check
out materials for themselves when they owe us money.
 
Linda Cannon
Collection Development Librarian
Joplin Public Library
 
 

________________________________

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Susan Thaler
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 10:31 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Parents checking out materials on child's card


Hi all,
 
I call on the collective wisdom because we are revisiting our policy on
this.  I checked the archives and found only limited references to this
situation.  
 
Do you allow a parent to check out materials on their child's card if
the child is not present?  We ask the parents to sign the application
for the child's card (for children up to age 12) stating that they will
be responsible.  In one recent instance, the parent did not have her own
card and, for whatever reason, did not want to get one.  She was taking
out children's materials on the child's card, and was very upset that
the library wouldn't allow it, especially since she has agreed to be
responsible.  When the card is issued, we hand out a list of library
card rules stating "This card is to be used by the card member only,"
and we emphasize this point verbally when a parent is signing up a
child.  I know that there are instances where parents run up massive
bills on their own cards, and then start in on the kids' accounts, but
it doesn't seem to me that requiring that the child be present puts much
of a damper on this behavior.  So we are trying to decide if there is
good reason to continue to insist that a young child be present if the
parent wants to use the card.  And if not, do we make it so that they
can only take out children's materials?
 
Any input would be most welcome.  Thanks as always.
 
Susan Thaler
Riverfront Library
Yonkers, NY
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.webjunction.org/wjlists/publib/attachments/20080214/b4502300/attachment.htm