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This message is confidential, you may use and apply the information only for the intended purpose. Internet communications are not secure and therefore the College does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and may not represent those of the College. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of it, or any part of it, in any form whatsoever, and any actions taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. Hackney Community College monitors all email contents and systems to ensure system integrity and security. I'm trying to find out what systems other institutions use in order that they have as many books as possible returned at the end of the academic year. I work in an FE college library and it has been noticed that this year we have a substantial amount of material still out on loan (all books had to be in on 29th June). £25,000 worth, in fact. Numerous overdue letters have been sent out to the students, and also letters sent to lecturing staff asking them to remind their students to bring their books back but they have been very slow at bringing them back. I'm not sure that students who have already left will EVER bring their books back. Most of the wording on our overdue letters is really just empty threats (eg. solicitors and debt-collectors involved etc) as the College will not follow up cases where a student only has one or 2 items out. I'm not sure that it even follows up the threat to keep back exam certificates either. Students returning in September seem to think that it's ok for them to bring back their books then (we don't currently charge fines) which is obviously not the ideal situation as until they rejoin in the library in September, they are no longer members of the library. What methods do other people use, which have actually been proven to work? We don't really feel that we can send out letters saying "Return your books or we'll send the boys round." ;-) Feedback greatly appreciated. Rachel Price Learning Resources Officer Hackney Community College