Vindication is Mine, Saith the Librarian's Daughter
I am a librarian's daughter. I've also put in my time as a Circulation Monkey (a term coined by Elizabeth, who has also served hard time behind the desk). Therefore, I experience profound library-shame when I rack up library fines. Of course, this is an inevitability due to my absentmindedness combined with my tendency to check out ridiculously large stacks of religion books.
All throughout the holidays a certain missing book has been hanging over my head: God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible. Right before Thanksgiving I received a notification that it was still checked out under my name, even though I knew it had been returned. I called and spoke to the Circulation Lady (I don't call other people Circ Monkeys; that seems like a term best used self-referentially), who purportedly checked the shelf to no avail. I knew I had to do what Mama Librarian had trained me to do in these situations: drive over there myself and find the book for them. I didn't go, though, busy as I was with Advent and whatnot. On New Year's Eve an owl flew through the window and pummelled me with approximately four hundred notices - oh, wait, that's the scene from Harry Potter. But it did seem like they might be overdoing it in their attempt to remind me that the grace period given to those who stubbornly insist that they've returned their books had expired.
Yesterday, I marched into the library, walked straight to the shelf, did a happy dance as the book was right where I knew it would be, and sweetly explained to the librarian that I'd found it. I still had to fork over some cash to clear my name completely, but not the $45 they wanted for the lost book (which, incidentally, I never had a chance to read).
The reconstructed conversation back at home:
Wife: I knew I didn't have that book, and you didn't believe me! (accompanied by more happy dance)
Husband: Well, you still had a fine. You should return your books ON TIME.
Wife: Maybe YOU should return my books on time. This is a marriage, right? A partnership?
12 response(s):
Tee hee hee, this story makes me giggle out loud.
Blaming your fines on your husband...shame shame. Don't worry too much about the fines-I seem to remember a certain Librarian Mama and an out of print book that could be an interesting story...
That was a pretty funny tale. I especially liked the part about shared responsibility. Nice touch, but the warning is "what goes around does come around". Be careful, or he may expect similar things from you too!
I just don't understand how the library wants to charge more than a book is worth sometimes. Shouldn't we just pay the cost of the book? Are the librarian's trying to make a profit?
The idea of librarians trying to make money off the fines is funny. I see a quirky film hiding somewhere, puts me in the mind of something between _Amelie_ and _Calendar Girls_
loved this and the comments :)
we ended up paying for one book that my DD had. I know we returned it - but even we couldn't find it on the shelves. (maybe they hid it - to get the revenue up! lol)
Therefore, I experience profound library-shame when I rack up library fines.
Given the fact that I *am* a professional librarian, the shame is multiplied! Hey, maybe I can write library fines off as a professional expense....
Alas, I have no one to blame but myself for my late books. But I like to think of myself as a special patron of the library, by paying so many of them;-)...one day I joked with the librarian that, if and when their proposed new building comes to be, I expect to see my name on the plaque of major contributors.;-)
As a public librarian, I have to answer the question about charging more than the book cost.
I wish we made a profit. However, we have to purchase the book or its replacement and process it into our system. A replacement almost always costs more than the original (inflation!) and processing costs more than you think.
I always thank our patrons when they pay their fines - they are special patrons.
And I try to get our staff to believe the patron and take the material off her card asap. Sorry your librarians don't believe you.
Weavinglibrarian
I also am consantly juggling dozens and dozens of books on my card and my kids' cards from 3 different local libraries. It is an art form. When I do end up having to pay a fine, or heaven forbid, a replacement fee, I think of it as a charitable contribution and a small price to pay for the many thousands of books I lay my fingers on! Also, a good library system saves me money, otherwise I would be spending the grocery money on books!
There was a story last night on the local news about libraries turning over their fine-collecting process to collection agencies -- your library fines could end up on your credit report. I always figure that the occasional fines I end up paying (and feeling guilty about) are way cheaper than buying the books -- with the exception of those 'lost' books...
I had this happen to me once--only the Circulation Monkey on the desk snarkily suggested that I had carried the book in just that minute and put it on the shelf myself in order to avoid paying my fines. GRRRRRRRR.
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