Wherein the impossible is possible

[shankyknitter]

So I had a library book out. This was due last Tuesday. So being a good student I dropped the book in the drop off box in my mad rush to the class I was running late for. This was on October 19th at 5:50-something pm. My library is open until 11pm. This is important.

So today I get an e-mail from the library telling me my book was over due. "What?" Thinks I "That's impossible, I remember hearing it clank in the bottom of the metal box as I ran to class on Ellen's birthday!"

I go to the library to discuss this with the librarian since I'm not paying $3.00 I don't have for a fine I didn't accrue.

SK: Me
BL: Bitchy lady.

SK: So I've got a fine and an over due notice for a book I returned back on time.

BL: No you have a fine and an over due notice for a book you didn't return on time or else you wouldn't have a fine. It was due back on the 19th we didn't get it until the 25th.

SK: I dropped it in the drop box at 5:50-something on the 19th because I was running late for my Tuesday night class and couldn't come in. It wasn't late.

BL: (in a snotty voice) That's impossible, we empty that box 3 times a day every day there's no way you could have returned it when you claim you did.

SK: I don't doubt that you empty that box however I returned it on the 19th. It was the only book in the box since it made a loud 'clank' when it hit the bottom.

BL: That's impossible.

SK: Just because you don't believe it doesn't mean it didn't happen. you don't have to believe something for it to be the truth, I've got an RA who can back me up that I returned it on time since it was her birthday and we were running back from her early birthday dinner to get to the class we have together when I dropped it off.

BL: Its impossible for you to have returned it on time since we empty that box 3 times a day every day.

*Rinse and repeat for a while.*

BL: Fine. I'll forgive your fine but its still impossible for you to have returned it when you say you did.

SK: Not impossible since it happened.

BL: Uh huh whatever.


The entire conversation this woman had a snotty 'I'm right, you're wrong since you're a student and clearly lying to me' tone of voice. If she had said 'oh well you must have returned it after the last pick up for that day' or something like that the fine I would have grumbled but I would have paid that dratted fine since I didn't get it in early enough that day. But to tell me it's impossible and to act like I'm a lying bimbo? They aren't getting a cent out of me and I wasn't going to leave until they ditched the fine. I can out stubborn a mule when I know there's no chance of the screw up being on my part.

[Andara Bledin]

BL: No you have a fine and an over due notice for a book you didn't return on time or else you wouldn't have a fine. It was due back on the 19th we didn't get it until the 25th.

The question becomes, where was it for that 6-day window between when you dropped it off and when they finally got it?

My bet is that the book went out again without ever being checked back into the system and whoever got it, then returned it yesterday, and it got checked in properly, and since you were the last borrower on record, it slapped your account with the overdue fee and sent out the email.

^-.-^

[shankyknitter]

My bet is they emptied the box and the books sat on a shelf or a cart for a few days until they got around to checking them in. I wonder how many other people are getting fines for books they turned in on time.

[MoonCat]

I would think if the place is open until 11 pm they could check the box more than 3 times during business hours! Actually I'd think they would do a last check about 10:45 in case something was dropped off late.

But hey, being a hard-ass about it probably generates more fine money...

[redbluegreenyellow101]

I've had similar problems. I once returned a movie, all was fine and dandy, and when I tried to check something out two weeks later, I had a $15 fine and they said that I returned the case empty. Um, no. I check every case before I return it and even if I didn't, the movie was nowhere to be found - not in my room, not in my house, not in my car. I KNOW I returned it. I tried to reason with the librarian but she had the same attitude and I ended up having to pay $20 to replace the movie. Now every time I return something there I make the librarian check it in right in front of me. Still pisses me off.

[mariamousie1]

Maybe it missed the box and fell on the floor, and six days later somebody picked it up and checked it back in?

[Soulstealer]

I don't know how it works in other libraries but the one I worked in had the policy that if you put it in the bin after the last pick up on say Tuesday then the Wednesday morning people would back date it to show it was returned Tuesday.

It sounds like someone probably missed checking yours in after having a lot of other books. It happens occasionally and it shouldn't be your fault that someone missed it. What usually happens is that we make a note that you said you turned it in and check the shelves.

Yes sometimes library patrons are lying little shits who didn't really return their books but that's no excuse to be rude to them.

[chainedbarista]

that's happened to me once, with a movie; it was so bad that i returned it the next day, but ended up with a late fee.

the guy i talked to cut me a break and didn't charge me; i did get frustrated, but never abused him.

seems like this librarian was having a bad day or is just naturally bitchy. either way, it's not acceptable to handle matters in this way. i can understand there are students who do lie, but to assume that one's automatically a liar is unprofessional.

i'm agreeing with the 'checked out' before 'checked in' theory; it makes sense, considering how some places don't work.

[Eisa]

What a bitch-waffle. I've had problems turning things in on time before, but if I say I turned it in, or even that I THINK I turned it in, there's no attitude, they just go and check. If they can't find it, I go look some more...but the librarians here REALLY work with [generic] you. Especially if you generally turn your books in on time and in good condition and everything.

[dalesys]

Another possibilty: someone snarfed it off the cart before it was checked in?

Could have been a bad staff person (rules don't apply to me!)

[PepperElf]

recently switched libraries because the one down the road from me has a fireplace (i'm hoping they actually turn it on soon) and because it's ... right down the road. Oh plus it has really good hours - open every day & for longer than the one I use to go to.

So far I haven't had any trouble with the return boxes. I haven't tried returning at night though. But the return slot goes to a private room so, there's much less of a risk of someone grabbing an item off of the return cart. The only issue I have right now is that some of the DVDs are scratched - but then again, they're old DVDs anyway.

[shadowpanda]

Unless she was working that shift, how can the snotty librarian even be so sure that the bin was emptied 3 times a day?

When I worked at my uni library, we had an automated system where you put one book in the slot thing at a time, it brings up the title then magically sorts it into the correct floor box (our library was on 5 floors). I loved that machine! It was fun to watch and saved loads of trouble.

However, books would get sorted into the wrong box occasionally and somtimes the book didn't register. When this happened, it would say 'Unrecognised book' on the screen and on the print out reciept. If anyone got a fine for a book they said was returned on time, we could check their account. If they said they returned 10 books on monday, but on their account it said 9, yet they had a reciept with 9 named books and one unrecognised, chances were they were telling the truth. Sometimes they didn't have their reciept (one book to return, they put it in the machine and leave, or forget to pick up the reciept), they pretty much always got the benefit of the doubt.

What is the point in ruining someones day by being a bitch about a book (the librarian is at fault here, not the OP)?
Sorry for your experience with her. Chances are she had had a bad day and unfortunately you got to deal with her.
Or she could just be a bitch

[MadMike]

I had something like that happen at a video rental store, that ended up going out of business, at least in my area.

I used to rent movies from this place regularly. One day I picked something to watch, brought it up to the counter, and was informed that I had a late charge on my account because I had returned my last rental late.

I'm not going to say I've never returned anything late. In fact, one time I rented a video game, and kept it several days past the due date because I was still trying to beat the thing. But if I do return it late, I own up to it and pay the fine, which surprised the clerk who I returned the video game to.

In this case, I had returned it on time, and I told the guy that. The guy didn't get rude with me, but I'm sure he was thinking, "Yeah, that's what they all say." In the end, he removed the charge, and everything was cool. Or so I thought...

The next time I came in to rent something, I was told that I had returned my last rental 11 days late.

OK, I could see me making a mistake and returning it a day late when I thought I was on time. In fact, after the last incident, I started to feel bad and wonder if I was mistaken. But there was no way I could have returned something 11 days late and not known it.

We argued back and forth a few times, and I think he eventually did remove the charge. But I stopped going there after that.

[Spork4pedro]

ok...I've been on the other side of this MANY times back when I worked at Blockbuster (in the "good ol' days of late fees)

While I fully believe that you returned the book when you stated, I might venture to guess why this lady was so snarky. At Blockbuster I heard "But I returned it before noon/right day/early etc..." and could usually tell when people were B.Sing. But for us all we had to do was look at the account and check rental and credit (as in credit money back..not personal credit) history. If I could look at a history and see that this wasn't a pattern I would give them the credit and make it the store's fault. Sadly though 9 out of 10 were guilty and whining about paying a fee for it. Not sure if she's able to do this though at a library.

That being said, even if this lady had heard the excuse non stop all shift, that is NO way to treat a customer! Snarky is NEVER okay! I'm glad you didn't end up paying.

[Bright_Star]

Couldn't she have simply walked on over & looked in the box? Seems so obvious of a thing to do.