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  • sucky library customer

    Background info - in the library system I work in, customers can't check items out if they owe $25 or more in fines on their account.

    Earlier this afternoon, I dealt with a customer whom I'll refer to as "GrouchyLady". She came stomping up to the circulation desk, and wanted to know why she had fines on her card. I looked up her account, told her it was because of a damaged book, and she was VERY adamant about saying that she would never, never damage a library book. (wasn't yelling, but had an angry, snippy sort of tone)

    I got the book in question from our "damaged item" shelf, showed it to GrouchyLady, and she was not having it....insisted that she didn't do it, she would never have damaged a library book, ....etc. (our head circulation person was also present, and she was helping me deal with this)

    GrouchyLady then took the book she'd been intending to check out, slammed it down on the circulation desk, said "Fine, then! I am NOT paying for that book!" and stomped off out the door. Ironically enough, my co-worker and I might have been willing to work with her on it, but she was so nasty/grumpy about it that we didnt have a chance to say much before she stormed out of the library.

  • #2
    $25? That's a high limit! At my system it's $10.

    The one time I damaged a library book, I was practically in tears (I was like 12 at the time) because I thought it would cost me some ungodly sum of money that I'd have to work the rest of my life to pay back. The total fine ended up being like $10.
    Note to self: Hot glass looks like Cold glass.

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    • #3
      Oh, yeah, I remember the time I dropped a library book in a puddle. I was in tears at the thought that they wouldn't let me have anymore books for the rest of my life.

      Which isn't what happened. I don't remember my "punishment", so it couldn't have been that bad.

      Even as a kid, I knew that when I messed up, the best thing to do was to apologize and ask how I could fix things, so I'm sure I didn't throw a fit at the library lady aka gatekeeper to something necessary for life.

      This is important stuff, yelling and complaining isn't the best way to get the situation resolved.

      As an adult, I have shelved books to pay for lost books (which I usually end up finding after I have finished working it off and then returning with much laughter).

      When I was listening to audio books in a car and a CD got eaten, I talked to the librarian who told me that if I got the same version for them as a replacement, that would be great, and no processing fee would be charged. As she also told me that while I could shelve books, they would rather have the audio book back, I chose to replace it at a very reasonable cost. (As it happens, I had 3 different cars eat 3 CD's from different books. I became very comfortable with the process.)

      Librarians are used to people accidently damaging media, I am sure that each library has some sort of process for dealing with it because it happens every day.

      There are no Library Police, that's just one of those lies adults tell kids so they take care of things.

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      • #4
        No Library Police? What about the phone police?
        - They say nothing good happens at 2AM, they're right, I happen at 2AM.

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        • #5
          Ardelia Lortz would beg to differ...
          Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, you speak with the Fraud department. -- CrazedClerkthe2nd
          OW! Rolled my eyes too hard, saw my brain. -- Seanette
          she seems to top me in crazy, and I'm enough crazy for my family. -- Cooper
          Yes, I am evil. What's your point? -- Jester

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          • #6
            I just knew that someone would bring up Stephen King! That isn't the only reference he makes to the L.P. My personal opinion is that he was told the lie as a kid and as he is now in the biz of telling lies to adults, is very willing to use a common bibliophile's worst fear to sell books.

            What a great horror writer!

            But seriously, there are no Library Police. I would have known by now if they were real.

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            • #7
              Quoth Slave to the Phone View Post
              I don't remember my "punishment", so it couldn't have been that bad.

              Even as a kid, I knew that when I messed up, the best thing to do was to apologize and ask how I could fix things, so I'm sure I didn't throw a fit at the library lady aka gatekeeper to something necessary for life.
              Which is probably why your punishment wasn't too harsh. You owned up to your blunder and apologized.

              Sadly, taking responsibility for one's own actions is a rare and quickly disappearing trait nowadays.
              I don't have an attitude problem. You have a perception problem.
              My LiveJournal
              A page we can all agree with!

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