Comments on: let’s work together to get rid of library fines http://www.walkingpaper.org/483 A library weblog by Aaron Schmidt Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:20:47 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: The OPLIN 4cast » Blog Archive » 4cast #76: Digitization, Experimentation, Comcast, Fines http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-23715 The OPLIN 4cast » Blog Archive » 4cast #76: Digitization, Experimentation, Comcast, Fines Thu, 07 Aug 2008 18:43:21 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-23715 [...] let’s work together to get rid of library fines (walking paper) [...] [...] let’s work together to get rid of library fines (walking paper) [...]

]]> By: Kirk Thomas Olsen http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20245 Kirk Thomas Olsen Tue, 16 Oct 2007 23:28:57 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20245 It might interest people to know that many public and college libraries did NOT charge fines, when first opened. This is why many very old books have "Somewhere Free Library" stamped on them, as once it was free to borrow books. You can figure out what happend can't you? People kept the books, since there was no penalty for not returning them. So in order to get items returned most libraries had to institute fines. While it's all very nice to have no barriers to service or negative ideas like fines--human nature doesn't always make this workable. It might interest people to know that many public
and college libraries did NOT charge fines, when
first opened. This is why many very old books have
“Somewhere Free Library” stamped on them, as once
it was free to borrow books.
You can figure out what happend can’t you? People
kept the books, since there was no penalty for not
returning them. So in order to get items returned
most libraries had to institute fines.
While it’s all very nice to have no barriers to service
or negative ideas like fines–human nature doesn’t
always make this workable.

]]> By: Rick Roche http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20228 Rick Roche Tue, 16 Oct 2007 03:44:49 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20228 I like the recall idea in conjunction with a longer or open ended or even negotiable checkout period. You want hot items back quickly, but there are a lot of older items that spend way too much time on the shelf. If more of them were out more of the time, we could actually keep more of them in the collection. People could have less in demand items longer. More people would be happier. I like the recall idea in conjunction with a longer or open ended or even negotiable checkout period. You want hot items back quickly, but there are a lot of older items that spend way too much time on the shelf. If more of them were out more of the time, we could actually keep more of them in the collection. People could have less in demand items longer. More people would be happier.

]]> By: Aaron http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20166 Aaron Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:22:17 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20166 Done! And two libraries added. Done! And two libraries added.

]]> By: Jonathan Harwell http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20165 Jonathan Harwell Fri, 12 Oct 2007 15:13:39 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20165 How about adding a page to the wiki for listing libaries of various types that don't charge fines? How about adding a page to the wiki for listing libaries of various types that don’t charge fines?

]]> By: cheryl http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20118 cheryl Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:35:31 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20118 In an academic library I worked in we didn't charge fines, and we didn't send overdue notices. When someone else wanted something someone had out we sent a Recall notice. At other libraries I've worked in since, people tell me that won't work because we want the books on the shelves, so people can find them when they browse. (Folks are much more used to placing holds on things that are out now, so I think this argument is less valid, even though I didn't think it that valid then.) Many libraries, unfortunately, use fines as a source of income, more than incentive to get books back. In an academic library I worked in we didn’t charge fines, and we didn’t send overdue notices. When someone else wanted something someone had out we sent a Recall notice. At other libraries I’ve worked in since, people tell me that won’t work because we want the books on the shelves, so people can find them when they browse. (Folks are much more used to placing holds on things that are out now, so I think this argument is less valid, even though I didn’t think it that valid then.) Many libraries, unfortunately, use fines as a source of income, more than incentive to get books back.

]]> By: mona http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20116 mona Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:50:50 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20116 our library does this. we freeze their borrowing privileges until they bring back the item or replace it if it's lost. it works okay i think. they want to borrow more items so they are motivated to bring overdue items back. also, families share one account (we're an army post library) so we don't have to worry about more than one account in a family. our library does this. we freeze their borrowing privileges until they bring back the item or replace it if it’s lost. it works okay i think. they want to borrow more items so they are motivated to bring overdue items back. also, families share one account (we’re an army post library) so we don’t have to worry about more than one account in a family.

]]> By: Pamela http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20115 Pamela Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:41:48 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20115 Many, many years ago for a research project in library school, I used Library Journal to study whether fines have any impact on patrons returning library materials. My conclusion was they do not. I uncovered a whole lot of interesting social history, such as using Western Union to notify patrons they have overdue materials and using the local police to recover materials, but in the end, there was no evidence fines made a difference. For what it's worth... Many, many years ago for a research project in library school, I used Library Journal to study whether fines have any impact on patrons returning library materials. My conclusion was they do not. I uncovered a whole lot of interesting social history, such as using Western Union to notify patrons they have overdue materials and using the local police to recover materials, but in the end, there was no evidence fines made a difference. For what it’s worth…

]]> By: effing http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20114 effing Wed, 10 Oct 2007 00:26:54 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20114 not sure how I feel about this, but whatever works...I'll keep checking back to see your progress. don't run out of salsa next time. not sure how I feel about this, but whatever works…I’ll keep checking back to see your progress. don’t run out of salsa next time.

]]> By: Leo Klein http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20113 Leo Klein Tue, 09 Oct 2007 23:58:39 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20113 Well, maybe Libraries could do creative things like amnesties, community work, etc. One of the biggest expenses after tuition and books at College was overdue fees. Great thing about college: you don't pay the fees, you don't get the diploma. Well, maybe Libraries could do creative things like amnesties, community work, etc. One of the biggest expenses after tuition and books at College was overdue fees.

Great thing about college: you don’t pay the fees, you don’t get the diploma.

]]> By: GeekChic http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20112 GeekChic Tue, 09 Oct 2007 22:16:14 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20112 Interesting proposals. Funnily enough, both my current and former places of work did survey patrons about fines and whether the library should keep using them. In both cases, the percentage in favour of keeping fines was overwhelming (around 80% in both cases). Patrons who commented felt that people should be punished for depriving others of the use of the materials (particularly when the library couldn't afford multiple copies) and they didn't feel that a simple suspension of privileges was good enough - they felt this condoned theft, especially by families with multiple cards. Staff at both libraries were quite surprised by these results... but there they are. It would be interesting to see if the patrons still feel this way as the surveys were done around 5 years ago. Interesting proposals. Funnily enough, both my current and former places of work did survey patrons about fines and whether the library should keep using them. In both cases, the percentage in favour of keeping fines was overwhelming (around 80% in both cases). Patrons who commented felt that people should be punished for depriving others of the use of the materials (particularly when the library couldn’t afford multiple copies) and they didn’t feel that a simple suspension of privileges was good enough – they felt this condoned theft, especially by families with multiple cards. Staff at both libraries were quite surprised by these results… but there they are. It would be interesting to see if the patrons still feel this way as the surveys were done around 5 years ago.

]]> By: sylvie http://www.walkingpaper.org/483/comment-page-1#comment-20111 sylvie Tue, 09 Oct 2007 20:18:46 +0000 http://www.walkingpaper.org/483#comment-20111 love it, specially the fresh (to me): How will we get our items back into the library? Consider implementing a “no overdue” policy in which patrons that have even one item overdue (that can’t be renewed) can’t check out any more library materials. thanks for ringing a clear bell. "A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well..." author unknown I don't like either in libraries... ;) sylvie love it, specially the fresh (to me):
How will we get our items back into the library?
Consider implementing a “no overdue” policy in which patrons that have even one item overdue (that can’t be renewed) can’t check out any more library materials.
thanks for ringing a clear bell.

“A fine is a tax for doing wrong. A tax is a fine for doing well…” author unknown
I don’t like either in libraries… ;) sylvie

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