[Publib] payment for damaged books

[Steve Benson]

But weren't you paying late fees and not for the loss of the book?  If
you applied your rationale to similar situations . . . If your fine
had been 90% the value of the book would you expect to keep all but
the last chapter?
If your fine had been 10% would you keep the front cover and the preface?

But you're right.  If fees aren't structured with careful  thought we
run a risk of removing incentive for patrons to return books once they
are late.

Steve Benson
Richardson (Tx) Public Library



On 3/19/09, Cole, Lisa <lmcole at auroragov.org> wrote:
> Back in the early 80s when I was in my early 20s and I wasn't yet working in
> libraries I checked a book out of a public library.  I misplaced the book
> and didn't find it until a few months later - under a piece of furniture in
> my apartment.  The library had a policy that the maximum fine was the cost
> of the book.  When I finally returned the book, I owed the total cost of the
> book.  I think it was $23.00, which was a lot for me at the time.  I paid my
> fine and they took the book.  I was so upset that I had paid for the book,
> but couldn't then keep it that I didn't return to any public library for
> about 5 years later.
>
> Lisa Cole
> Reference Librarian - Youth
> Central Library
> Aurora Public Library
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org on behalf of Julie.Ourom at gov.yk.ca
> Sent: Thu 3/19/2009 2:03 PM
> To: publib at webjunction.org
> Subject: [Publib] payment for damaged books
>
>
>
> Hi, all,
>
> It seems I'm in the minority as being one who feels strongly that a patron
> who pays for a damaged book is not entitled to keep it.  The book is the
> property of the library or its higher authority.  When a patron pays the
> library's charges, they are compensating the library for having damaged or
> destroyed public property. (The amount they pay rarely covers the full
> replacement cost, but is a good start.)
>
> The patron is not buying the book.  It's the library's decision as to what
> to do with it.  In our case, depending on the circumstances, that ranges
> from re-shelving (if we can't live without it) to repair to garbage can (if
> mouldy) to cutting up to use for kids programs to re-cycling (shredding) if
> falling apart to selling at the library's used book sale (open to all
> comers, not set aside for this particular patron), as well as other options.
>
> To be fair that could include giving the item to the patron.   However,
> having experienced enough situations where I "know" a patron has
> deliberately "lost" or damaged items in order to keep them, I don't see that
> enabling them to keep the item is in the public interest.
>
> There are lots of commonalities between public libraries, but lots of
> differences too.  This is simply how we do it.
>
> Julie
>
> Julianne Ourom, Director, Public Libraries Branch C-23, Community
> Development Division, Department of Community Services, Government of Yukon,
> P.O. Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6 Phone 867-667-5447 FAX 867-393-6333
> e-mail julie.ourom at gov.yk.ca CELL 867-332-2126  WEBSITE
> http://www.ypl.gov.yk.ca/
>
>
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