Comments on: Dumping rules by the light, er, dark of the moon http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/ An ongoing conversation among librarians with differing perspectives (public, academic, school, consortial, youth) but one shared goal: ensuring the health and relevance of libraries. [insert your own gardening metaphor here] Fri, 17 May 2013 18:44:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Geoff http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1393 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:57:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1393 Great original article and great comments. I totally agree that libraries have to figure out a way around the fine issue. I’ve tried to convince my board that we should get rid of fines. It’s difficult to convince them to give up a funding stream, especially one as traditional as this. Fines are killing us, our customers have so many other alternatives if something doesn’t change we’ll “fine” ourselves right out of existence. Every time you fine a customer it makes them feel like a naughty 7th grader, I know *I* don’t like that feeling.

]]> By: Geoff http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3100 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:57:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3100 Great original article and great comments. I totally agree that libraries have to figure out a way around the fine issue. I’ve tried to convince my board that we should get rid of fines. It’s difficult to convince them to give up a funding stream, especially one as traditional as this. Fines are killing us, our customers have so many other alternatives if something doesn’t change we’ll “fine” ourselves right out of existence. Every time you fine a customer it makes them feel like a naughty 7th grader, I know *I* don’t like that feeling.

]]> By: Geoff http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3134 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 13:57:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3134 Great original article and great comments. I totally agree that libraries have to figure out a way around the fine issue. I’ve tried to convince my board that we should get rid of fines. It’s difficult to convince them to give up a funding stream, especially one as traditional as this. Fines are killing us, our customers have so many other alternatives if something doesn’t change we’ll “fine” ourselves right out of existence. Every time you fine a customer it makes them feel like a naughty 7th grader, I know *I* don’t like that feeling.

]]> By: zgirl http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1386 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:17:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1386 Janie, I do not currently work in a library, but the one with no fines was an academic library in NJ (I’d rather not say which one).

]]> By: zgirl http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3058 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:17:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3058 Janie, I do not currently work in a library, but the one with no fines was an academic library in NJ (I’d rather not say which one).

]]> By: zgirl http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3088 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 23:17:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3088 Janie, I do not currently work in a library, but the one with no fines was an academic library in NJ (I’d rather not say which one).

]]> By: Janie L. Hermann http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1385 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:49:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1385 Good ideas Liz.

In fact, we don’t have a limit on number of items checked out or the number of holds you can place. We do have a limit on how much money you can owe the library. If you owe us more than $20 then you are cut off (or you need to give us enough to keep the amount owed at $19.99 or less).

]]> By: Janie L. Hermann http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3053 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:49:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3053 Good ideas Liz.

In fact, we don’t have a limit on number of items checked out or the number of holds you can place. We do have a limit on how much money you can owe the library. If you owe us more than $20 then you are cut off (or you need to give us enough to keep the amount owed at $19.99 or less).

]]> By: Janie L. Hermann http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3082 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:49:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-3082 Good ideas Liz.

In fact, we don’t have a limit on number of items checked out or the number of holds you can place. We do have a limit on how much money you can owe the library. If you owe us more than $20 then you are cut off (or you need to give us enough to keep the amount owed at $19.99 or less).

]]> By: Liz B http://librarygarden.net/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1384 Mon, 03 Apr 2006 15:34:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2006/03/31/dumping-rules-by-the-light-er-dark-of-the-moon/#comment-1384 I love the idea of getting rid of overdue fines. Keep charges for lost or damaged material; and try to figure out a viable option for something overdue with outstanding holds (fines then? Or a restriction on checking out more items? I’m not sure, but something fair and not punitive; with the idea being, the person waiting for it shouldn’t wait forever.)

I also would like to see removing limits on number of items checked out; and number of hold items.

I also think that anytime our response to customers is the customer having to learn the library way, we should stop and think whether that is necessary — or whether its time for the library to look at it from the customer’s perspective.

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