I too worked in Hampstead (then part of Camden) in the late 1970's, at the start of my career - all the 'unknowns' raised by Edward and his depiction the 1950's was true there then too, and from the debate, is proably still true there (and everywhere else) today.
Isn't it sad that, in nearly 60 years, we haven't sorted this out - the country has had 1947 Education Act and the birth of the Health Service, but librariess still can't agree a definitive approach to fines.
Will we still be having this debate in another 50 years?
John Usher
ICT Development Manager
Islington Library & Cultural Services
Islington Council
Central Library
2 Fieldway Crescent
LONDON N5 1PF
Tel: 020 7527 6920
Mobile: 07825 098 223
Fax: 020 7527 6926
Alternative contact: Michelle Gannon - 020 7527 6907
www.islington.gov.uk
How to get to Central Library: http://www.islington.gov.uk/Education/Libraries/Local/Central.asp
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Edward Dudley
Sent: 12 August 2008 15:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [LIS-PUB-LIBS] Fines etc
As an interested observer, I should like to record some of the unknowns about fines/charges not revealed so far and which underline the main point of Keven Harris's posting. What are the scales of charges, are they applied to children and young people, when are they relaxed and by whom in a given library, are there variations in what might be called a fines culture, for example in library authorities of populations of different socio-economic composition and of different ruling political parties? Answers to this thread might be illuminating, but as posters are not a representative sample could not be extrapolated to the wider situation. Let's have a piece of research which will tell public and some academic librarians where they stand.
And if I may be permitted a personal/historical comparison, in 1950 I moved from skilled working class lower middle class Fulham in SW London to a branch library in polyglot, egghead and multi-ethnic Hampstead, to find that the at most grumbling acceptance of fines in Fulham was replaced by astonishment at being charged 'for a few days overdue' and at times harassment of colleagues. I gathered that the practice was to go light on fines. I decided that they we'd go by the book and only I or a senior colleague would exercise discretion. Within a month the Council internal auditor asked me to account for a 250% increase in fines income over the same month in the previous year. I gave him the choice of our overcharging or the previous incumbent undercharging.
We then put up a large poster headed with illustration 'Don't Pay Fines, It's Money Down the Drain' and listing ways of renewal of loans and facility for extended loans during absence from home. To the internal auditor's comment that it lost the Borough Council money, I replied that the library was not there to make a microscopic influence on the local rates, but to serve the interests of readers. I assume such behaviour would today lead to at least rebuke from on high.
Alternatives to fines? I think there is 21st century merit in adopting the practice in some monasteries as J W Clark points out in his classic Care of books, 1901. Monks who offended in the handling of books were publicly cursed.
Edward Dudley
[log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Kevin
Sent: 11 August 2008 17:47
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Fines etc
I sense this thread might be losing momentum. But it has raised a range of absorbing issues - of ideology and principle, real-world reaction, and gaps in knowledge - and it would be a shame not to make something happen.
Since there are unanswered questions (for instance, to pick up on Hugh's latest post, would there be a small loss of income and would that be offset by an enhanced public image? Could that be measured?) - perhaps the logic is that those who want to explore it further could collectively devise an outline research proposal.
This would exploit this network as a resource and would have considerable validity, since the theme emerged from the concerns of practitioners. If enough people think that the public library sector needs some research to clarify the issues to do with what we might call the paradox of charges, and answer some of the questions that have been asked, then perhaps we should have an open collaborative process to design a piece of research (in pursuit of funding, with no guarantee of course) to a self-imposed deadline.
I'm not putting myself forward to lead on this. I'm asking if there is sufficient motivation and justification to set up an online space, and for some of us to work collaboratively and openly to come up with something that stands a chance of being of use to the sector.
kevin
______________
Kevin Harris
0773 042 9993
Local Level
www.Local-Level.org.uk
Neighbourhoods blog
<http://neighbourhoods.typepad.com/> neighbourhoods.typepad.com
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