[Publib] Question: Elimination of Print Overdue Notices

[Lise Chlebanowski]

Our ILS allows us to choose notices to be sent to addresses, phone numbers or e-mail addresses. We never send out paper notices. Our ILS does auto-calling when items are overdue. The e-mail is even nicer because patrons get a 3-day warning in advance of their items becoming overdue. When they register we say "do you have an e-mail account that you check on a regular basis"? If they say no quickly, we figure they probably don't have one, but if they think about it too long or hem & haw, we assume they are reluctant to give it out. It's understandable that people don't want a lot of junk sent or their address shared with others so we go to great lengths to explain that we don't send them anything but courtesy notifications, overdue notifications or upcoming program information. Most of the time they will readily share it with us. We all have it, so we are able to say personally what a big help having that 3-day courtesy reminder is to avoiding overdue fines. 
 
To answer your other question, yes we are noticing an increased rate of non-returned items and blocked cards. Patrons are sometimes very unhappy with notification processes, but we explain that we do not have the manpower to personally call everyone and I hate to say it, we remind them that they signed an agreement when they received their cards that they would return their items on time or pay the costs incurred by keeping them out and that any notification they receive is a courtesy. It sounds harsh and we definitely work with our patrons and try to be flexible but we also have a duty to our responsible patrons! HTH! 
 
Lisë Chlebanowski
Library Manager
Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library
495 E. Western Ave.
Avondale, AZ   85323
623-333-2611 D
623-333-0260 F
lchlebanowski at avondale.org <mailto:lchlebanowski at avondale.org> 
 
Now Reading on my Kindle: Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich
Now Reading: One Bite with a Stranger by Christine Warren
Now Listening: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
 

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From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Maggie B
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2009 11:34 AM
To: publib at webjunction.org
Subject: [Publib] Question: Elimination of Print Overdue Notices


Has anyone out there eliminated (or greatly reduced) the mailing of hard-copy "paper" overdue notices?  
 
If you have eliminated paper notices, are you noticing a much higher rate of non-returned items and overdue items?  Perhaps blocked cards?
 
How have you been able to obtain the email addresses of your patrons?  Do you make phone calls to warn of overdue items?
 
If we could gather functional, working, legibly printed email addresses for our patrons, we could send electronic-only notices, as well as reach them via email with our electronic newsletter.  
 
Previously, I offered patrons providing email addresses the chance to win a gift card to a local restaurant, but we've had to cut that out due to budget constraints.
 
Thanks so much for your insights!
 
Maggie Bollar
readingisimportant at gmail.com
 
 
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