I'm split on the topic. Several years ago I attended a conference session where the guy was arguing for fine free service and went so far as to refuse ILL loans to libraries that charged fines.
Our fine revenue has gone down but our circ has also gone down because the economy has improved.
I remember, as a kid, being truly, extremely embarrassed if I returned a book that was overdue. Plus, on my $0.50 a week allowance, 1 day overdue was a mega hit to my purchasing power.
I think time limits and fees are a good thing and should be kept. In young patrons they teach discipline and responsibility and the modest fees do help the library budget. Also anything that encourages prompt return of s book benefits the next person waiting for the book.
Ah, but there's the rub. I was late returning a book that hadn't been checked out by anyone else in years. The chance that I had deprived someone of an opportunity to read it was nil. No harm, no foul. If it's a book with a waiting list, that's another story.
My wife lived for a while in a small town. Back when the books had the little "pocket," and you could see who had checked the book out when. The library would, of course, periodically purge its collection. So she started checking out books that had not been borrowed in years, so they would be kept a while longer.
I used to like to see who had read (or at least checked out) the books I was reading.
7 comments:
Plano inexplicably not included.
I'm split on the topic. Several years ago I attended a conference session where the guy was arguing for fine free service and went so far as to refuse ILL loans to libraries that charged fines.
Our fine revenue has gone down but our circ has also gone down because the economy has improved.
I remember, as a kid, being truly, extremely embarrassed if I returned a book that was overdue. Plus, on my $0.50 a week allowance, 1 day overdue was a mega hit to my purchasing power.
I think time limits and fees are a good thing and should be kept. In young patrons they teach discipline and responsibility and the modest fees do help the library budget. Also anything that encourages prompt return of s book benefits the next person waiting for the book.
Ah, but there's the rub. I was late returning a book that hadn't been checked out by anyone else in years. The chance that I had deprived someone of an opportunity to read it was nil. No harm, no foul. If it's a book with a waiting list, that's another story.
My wife lived for a while in a small town. Back when the books had the little "pocket," and you could see who had checked the book out when. The library would, of course, periodically purge its collection. So she started checking out books that had not been borrowed in years, so they would be kept a while longer.
I used to like to see who had read (or at least checked out) the books I was reading.
A trend that recalls the worst excesses of the French Revolution.
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