[Publib] "stolen" library books

[Linda Dydo]

I hear my circulation staff say 
 
Oh, I'm so sorry!  If you could provide us with a copy of the police (or other official ) report of your stolen (car, backpack, home invasion)  we would be glad to remove the items from your records.   Make sure you check your insurance coverage, because you might be able to claim the loss of these items also, and then you could reimburse us for them.  Here, let me provide you with the cost of the items.
 
OR
 
Our local jurisdiction has determined that in light of the mass damage incurred in our community during the recent mudslides (or whatever), we will not be charging for lost items.  We will be glad to remove these items from your account.  But if you have insurance, you might be able to claim these items as a loss.  Let me provide you with the cost of the items.
 
What is wrong with the tone of that interaction?
 
I also heard one patron claim, over an 8 month period - a stolen car - a home robbery - theft of my purse while in a restaurant - I was mugged - the school bully took my kids cards and checked out dvds - and, (My favorite) I was abducted by aliens.  At every interaction, staff were unfailingly polite and repeated the appropriate variation of the above spiels.  We are awaiting police reports.  Rats.  I wanted to read the abduction one.


>>> Elizabeth Rogers <rogers at cefls.org> 1/17/2008 9:34 AM >>>
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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