Dear Colleagues
Thank you very much to all of you (22 in all!) who responded to my plea for remedies re the above. Here is a resume of the replies which to me were very interesting and most helpful. I hope you find them interesting also. No names are mentioned to protect confidentiality.
Book Recovery and Overdues - Feedback from LIS-LINK etc.
Total replies = 22 + 2 emails re 'Courtesy Notices'.
(No.'s in brackets = no. of Colleges/Universities/6th Form Colleges who carry out the procedure indicated)
Letters/Emails: Send 3 overdue letters at stated intervals, 3rd as final Invoice. (12)
Add a 4th letter to double as a Disciplinary. (3)
Send Courtesy Notices only via Email (instead of letters) in advance of due date. (2)
Send Emails in between overdue letters. (4)
Send letters/emails to tutors/Heads of Department (5)
Reduce letters to 1 per term or half term. (1)
Phone or text students - on 1st, 2nd, 3rd or final letter/reminder. (6)
Disable Log-in/Athens/Blackboard/Moodle - on 1st, 2nd, 3rd or final letter/reminder. (8)
Involve College Finance Department - negotiate minimum amount - to institute recovery proceedings. (9)
Engage services of a Debt Collection Agency. (6)
Block further enrolment. (4)
Withhold Certificate and/or bar from attending Awards Ceremony. (5)
Reduce borrowing limit for e.g. first term/semester, then increase to full limit thereafter. (1)
Charge deposit 'up front', at beginning of course or academic year. (2)
Zero tolerance on fines. (1)
Amnesty on fines if books/items are returned. (2)
Maintain spreadsheet to monitor - e.g. invoices raised, cost of items outstanding, IT blocks, Enrolment blocks, Student addresses. (2)
To all those who kindly responded please take this email as a very big thank you. We are now formulating new plans to (try and!) protect our stock.
Kind regards
Alison Harling
Library Supervisor
Calderdale College
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