Oh this is so so worrying, Breaking our Rules! You will go to the beach
volley ball, wear yellow and wave a flag
Depressed of Lancashire
f
Frances Hendrix
Martin House Farm, Hilltop Lane, Whittle le Woods, Chorley, Lancs PR6 7QR,
UK
tel: 01257 274 833. fax: 01257 266 488
email: [log in to unmask]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Stella Young/CEXEC/STHMBC" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 11, 2008 11:35 AM
Subject: Re: Fines etc
>
>
>
>
>
> I think part of the problem is that we do renew. It negates one of the
> reasons usually used for imposing fines which is to ensure that books are
> returned promptly. Clearly not allowing renewals isn't very customer
> friendly either. But two people can have a book out for exactly the same
> length of time and one ends up with fines because they aren't organised
> enough to renew. People are fined for breaking our rules not for keeping
> books out for a long time.
> There is no easy answer - only opting for the least worst option. Perhaps
> automatically renewing for a fixed number of times then bill for the cost
> of the book if it's not returned by agreed date. ? Ensuring that fines are
> as low as possible?
>
> Stella Young
> Senior Library Manager
> 01744 677114
> Chester Lane Centre and Library
> Chester Lane
> St Helens
> WA9 4DE
>
>
>
> Lynn Osborne
> <[log in to unmask]
> LIPSE.CO.UK> To
> Sent by: [log in to unmask]
> "lis-pub-libs: UK cc
> Public Libraries"
> <LIS-PUB-LIBS@JIS Subject
> CMAIL.AC.UK> Re: Fines etc
>
>
> 11/08/2008 11:17
>
>
> Please respond to
> Lynn Osborne
> <[log in to unmask]
> LIPSE.CO.UK>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hear, hear.
>
> What everyone is failing to note is that fines are completely avoidable.
> Nobody need pay them if they return or renew their loans, and with the
> ever
> increasing means of carrying out renewals in most authorities, including
> online and 24hour automatic phone renewals, there is no excuse. Where a
> valid reason is made, (illness, bereavement etc., then most libraries have
> a waiver policy and act accordingly)
>
>
>
> Lynn Osborne
>
>
>
>
> From:lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Sue Pargeter
> Sent: 08 August 2008 15:31
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Fines etc
>
>
>
> This topic was aired a while ago on PLUS General. Someone posted the
> following, which I hung onto for some reason (how sad is that?!):
>
> “Not strictly answering your questions, but we introduced fines in 2001.
> The result was that more of our books were returned, and our issue figures
> went up. We concluded that this was because people preferred to either
> return or renew the books rather than pay fines”.
>
> Wearing my customer services hat, I agree that fines are not exactly the
> most user-friendly inducement to join a library, and people do have the
> misconception that they go on mounting up indefinitely, fuelled no doubt
> by
> media reports of books returned 100 years late with correspondingly
> whopping fines waived. But I’m also aware that we are driven by government
> targets to increase issues, and if the above experience is valid, removing
> fines could result in a drop in issues.
>
> Re turkeys and Christmas, you might be surprised. I deal with all the
> formal complaints that we receive in Devon, and we’ve only had 2 such
> complaints since 2005 about fines. Complaints about charges for media
> hire,
> or public access computers,or reservations, or photocopying, yes, but
> fines
> – no! This may not reflect what is said over the counter, but if people
> feel really strongly, they will lodge a formal complaint. Radio Devon this
> morning was talking about plans to introduce parking charges on Dartmoor,
> and they did the usual trawl of public opinion. Somewhat to my surprise,
> most people said fair enough, because they were happy to contribute to
> maintaining something they valued. Of course we shouldn’t need to rely on
> fines, but first we need a government that isn’t statistics driven, and
> then we need one that will fund councils adequately for the
> ever-increasing
> range of services that they are required to provide.
>
> Sue Pargeter
>
> Standards and Customer Projects Manager
>
> Devon County Council
>
> Devon Library and Information Services
>
> Devon Libraries Headquarters, Great Moor House, Bittern Road, Sowton,
> Exeter, EX2 7NL
>
> Tel: 01392 384310
>
> Email: [log in to unmask]
>
> Website: www.devon.gov.uk/libraries
>
> Disclaimer: www.devon.gov.uk/email.shtml
>
> THINK CARBON FOOTPRINT! - Do you really need to print this email?Save
> Paper
> - Save Money - Reduce Waste
|