I'm a library bastard

[meegannie]

Singapore's libraries are insanely well organised from what I've heard (there are a couple of Singaporean students on my course who I think were appalled at how inefficient everything in the UK was compared to Singapore!).

 

[Canadiens1131]

well, it IS stealing when you don't return library items

"Extended loan"


+++

 

[beegee]

lol, canadiens.

say it with me, "steal-ing"



the information you guys posted about your libraries was really cool. a lot of the policies for the college libraries makes perfect sense with students having deadlines for papers being due.

here in las vegas, the district has been making moves toward a system much like yertle's talking about. self checkouts and such. some of the machines are already in place and in use. it's actually making some staff (circulation assistants, mostly) a little nervous about their jobs.

fascinating stuff.

 

[Liesje]

Yeah, the way Singapore does it sounds cool. Personally, I'd love self check-out b/c the librarians at my home public library are really rude and snotty (don't worry, I don't hate librarians!). For example, my dad was there once and this boy came in to get a specific book. The computer said the book was at another library, and it wasn't, so he came to ours instead. By then it was getting late (well, like 1/2 hr before closing) and the librarian yelled at him and wouldn't issue him a library card even though there was 1/2 hour. The mom tried to explain that they would have had time, but the computer was incorrect, it was not their fault. So, my dad grabs the book from the little boy and throws it on the counter. The stupid librarian is like "You can't do that sir!" But then the younger librarian takes it and checks it with my dad's books, rolling his eyes. My dad hands it to the little boy and winks at the bitchy lady on his way out. That was just the icing on the cake. This lady is not helpful at all and acts like everyone in an inconvenience to her. As a kid I actually feared checking out books b/c no matter what she'd make you feel like you did something wrong.

In contrast, our librarians at school are super-helpful and really good at their jobs. They spend as much time researching new systems, databases, and books as they do sitting at the desk and will get ANYTHING you want, even if the school has to pay.

Freshmen are required to take a small course that familiarizes them with how the library systems work, how to use the journal databases, and how to do proper research.

 

[Varitek]

In high school I did my junior thesis on Orwell and I had to track down all the books in the city system that were either by him or analyzing his work. I did this rather early, I'm good at doing initial research right after I get an assignment then not doing the actual assignment til right before it's due. Anyway this was a period of 3 months or so, and the limit for checkout is 3 weeks. It was about 10 books. I let them get overdue, because there was no online renewal at that point, and finally brought them in and renewed them, but I'd incurred about 15 bucks worth of fines on the books, to the fine limit for each book. Still I was a good samaritan or whatever and renewed them. Then I let them get overdue again (trucking 10 books to the library is a paaaaain) so I got double fined. If I hadn't renewed them in the first place I would have half the fines I do now. Now when I'm home and want a library book I borrow my mom's card, there's no way I'm paying 30 bucks, plus I could have been a worse person and held the books 6 months more for their annual amnesty day.

/bitter rant

Last year at my Uni library I forgot to return a book from fall semester. Well I thought I'd returned it because looking at the title online I thought it was this big book and I didn't have anything like it. I'd gone and bitched at the librarians saying I'd returned it and THEN packing up at the end of spring semester what do you know, I found it. I stuck it in the drop box and split out of the library as fast as I could!

 

[Liesje]

I was just thinking about the library again b/c my grandpa (who now studies American history for fun) needed some books from our library and didn't want to pay the guest fee. I was surprised to hear that the books I checked out yesterday are not due until July, so I found a page that says exactly who gets what, bonosgirl, if you're still interested:

http://library.calvin.edu/services/circulation/checkout

As a staff member I can get 75 books for 26 weeks with NO fines (but I would eventually get charged $10 if the book was determined lost). Students get only a two week loan period.

 

[Caroni]

Our library in science faculty just borrow you a book for 9 days , if you want it for more time you have to go to a "book bank" that doesn´t have enough books for everyone

 

[Liesje]

9 days?! How would you even read it? That sucks. I think ours is because of the faculty, who are required to do research and/or write books and other publications, so it's not like they're just writing a quick review or response essay. It did say on the site that if a student requests the book, they will be asked to return it within a week.

 

[Caroni]

Yeah, and every 3 days we have to renovate the loan, we have to make copies of the books

 

[~LadyLemon~]

our patrons can actually be reported to a credit agency if their items aren't returned.

i wasn't referring only to you, miss lara. the general attitude in this thread is that libraries have some nerve or that not returning or damaging library items is excusable or acceptable, but it really isn't.

Hmm...my last library wasn't as cranky as yours. We could renew items twice as long as there were no holds (of course). And we had many patrons reported to credit agencies because of missing items, huge fines, etc. It's a big deal!

And yeah, damaging things and/or not returning is bullshit. People take advantage of a wonderful service, and just don't give a crap about it. And now libraries are just so fucked by lack of funding...

 

[Liesje]

People take advantage of a wonderful service, and just don't give a crap about it. And now libraries are just so fucked by lack of funding...

Yeah, I've turned in a LOT of late items, but I always turn them in and never complain about the fine. Heck, I'd be willing to pay double. Each book would cost me $7-$150 each if I had to buy them! The only thing I've found that comes close to a substitute is I can now find most of the fiction books I read in the $1 section at Barnes & Noble, or cheap at thrift stores. But books for research or writing projects would put me out thousands if not for the libraries. I will always vote in favor of libraries.

 

[Angela Harlem]

i love this thread

you guys are so interesting. really, i'm not being sarcastic.

 

[U2Girl1978]

Oh my god. This thread just reminded me that I have to return my overdue books back. I took them out in Oct/Nov.

 

[Bonochick]

I've heard that our library is awesome, but I have yet to go there since I moved here almost 2 years ago. The township I work for is having funding issues with their library. They currently get financed from the township's general fund, but that just isn't feasible anymore. Voters shot down a millage, so there's a campaign to save the library. It makes me appreciate that I have a great library available to me where I live, should I want to go. I don't think a lot of people really think about losing their library, I think people just take it for granted that a library is there.

 

[~LadyLemon~]

I just got back a week ago from my trip the to the U.K. While there I investigated some libraries in England and Scotland