[Publib] "stolen" library books

[Beverly Michaels]

Even assuming that the patron is not lying, I think it's reasonable to
request the police report. Once you start waiving replacement costs
purely on the basis of sob stories, where do you draw the line? "My
nephew took these books out on my card when he was living with me and
now he's gone back to live with his mother and I don't know what he did
with them." ?? "My daughter's friend borrowed these 20 CDs and now she's
moved out of town."?? 
 
We're happy to waive the fines, and give the patron more time to track
down the items, but to just waive several hundred dollars in replacement
charges? That doesn't seem like responsible stewardship of the public's
property.
 
Just my 2 cents.
 
Beverly Michaels 
Circulation Services 
Tredyffrin Public Library 
610-688-7092, ext 201 


________________________________

From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org
[mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Natalie Marshall
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:07 PM
To: Elizabeth Rogers
Cc: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Publib] "stolen" library books


If they were usually actually stolen, I might feel that way too, but
honestly, in four cases out of five here, the patron starts backtracking
immediately, changes their story, comes up with some other excuse for
why the books are gone, etc. They're almost always lying. 
 
I don't ask for a police report in a mean way, I just tell them the
truth according to our policy: that we'll certainly forgive the fines,
but we need to see proof of theft of the vehicle. We're willing to work
with a patron who's in genuine need, but we're not going to be taken for
a ride to the tune of several hundred dollars multiple times every year.
We owe THAT to our taxpayers as well. 

 
On 1/17/08, Elizabeth Rogers <rogers at cefls.org> wrote: 

	I'm really surprised at the tone of these responses.  It would
never
	occur to me to ask for a police report, and I wouldn't think it
would do 
	much for public relations. Whenever a patron of ours has ANY
sort of
	mishap, disaster, etc., we want library books to be the last
thing they
	worry about.  We want them to think of libraries as places where
they're 
	welcome and not punished for things they have no control over.
If the
	patron's house burns down, do you require a sworn statement from
a
	fireman?  I see having your car stolen as a traumatic event, and
	demanding to see a police report compounds the trauma by
suggesting that 
	the patron is dishonest.   This doesn't mean we don't take the
financial
	support of our taxpayers seriously, it just means we take our
patrons'
	needs seriously as well.  After all--they're taxpayers too, for
the most 
	part.
	
	Elizabeth Rogers
	CEF Library System
	33 Oak Street
	Plattsburgh, NY  12901
	
	
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-- 
Natalie Marshall
Public Services Librarian
Flint River Regional Library System
Griffin, GA

(All opinions and views are mine and not my employer's, etc etc.) 
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