Dear Librarian,
I love going to the library! I enjoy bringing my kids and helping them find books and appreciate how it feeds their love for learning. Perusing your shelves in that quiet, peaceful atmosphere is relaxing and refreshing...
We do our best to return books in a timely matter. I believe in taking responsibility for overdue items...I'm sure you know this because you can see that we have replaced and/or paid for books in the past. We always pay our fines and never complain...I like to think that in our own way we are contributing to the 'buy more books' fund...maybe this is why we pay more fines than many other people.
A few weeks ago I received a notice that we had a book long overdue--it was a surprise to me, but I initiated a 2-week search! We searched our vehicles, under/in/around all the furniture, in all the dresser drawers, kitchen cabinets, garage (please don't ask why--we were desperate), through every book in our personal library, closets, ...... everywhere we could think of!!! I even crawled under my children's beds--please don't judge me for not wanting to explain exactly why this was such a big deal for me--you're a librarian, use your imagination...
Finally, I gave up and decided we would have to replace this book...past experience has taught me that I can do this 60-70% less on my own than from you (I've always wondered why) so I came to the library to pay the fine so I wouldn't incur more fines while I waited for my order to come in to replace the book. Imagine my surprise/relief/annoyance/frustration/anger to be told that I don't have a fine for that book, nor is it overdue. Apparently, you accidentally shelved the book without checking it in and didn't discover your mistake until another patron went to check the book out at which time you checked the book in (finally), cleared the book from my account so I wouldn't receive fines (thank you, by the way, for that), and then checked the book out to the next patron. So why am I frustrated and angry?!
Because you MISSED a step!!! You should NOTIFY me of your error so I don't waste DAYS of my life stressing, searching, being annoyed with my children! A simple phone call, message, note in the mail would suffice...it's not a big deal really. I just need to know!!!
Sincerely,
A Mom Buying Books this Week
PS--if you are a school librarian, thanks so much for your patience and for checking out another book to my 5-year-old even when we couldn't locate the one he already had checked out. The whole family looked everywhere because we know that when he goes to the library with his class he has to lay his head down on the table if he does not have his book. After 3 weeks of that thanks for telling me to wait to buy the book! You know your teachers well--Nathan's teacher had it THE WHOLE TIME! Which wouldn't bother me if he didn't have to lay his head on the table instead of quietly looking at books...
Note to self: It's not always the kids' fault the books are missing...check the library/classroom BEFORE crawling under beds!
6 comments:
He has to lay his head on the table??? What is that all about?
I should have explained that better, Lisa. It's a great system this teacher has--the kids who don't bring their books back sit at a table in the library and put their heads down while the kids who did remember their books check their books in, select new books, and check the new books out. Lovely. I can't WAIT for next year and a new teacher...
I don't like that. At all.
I pay my fines too. But I just peek under the beds. No crawling here.
Oh, I understood the logistics of what you meant--I just can't believe that a teacher would actually do that. I think that's awful!
Ok, the whole head on the table thing...seriously? Are other parents not cool with it? Sorry, I'm still reeling from Weston's teacher here in Mexico who hits the kids in the head with a notebook and puts them in a closet with the door shut as punishment. That would never fly in the US of course which is why I hate the British school they are in but making the kids lay their heads on the table...well in our house that would be punishing me because I'm usually the one who has read the library book with my son and misplaced it sometime between reading with him before dinner or before bed.
OH MY HECK! Seriously. What happened to promoting reading in school? Good job teacher, teach your kids to hate going to the library...that's a winner! My nosy self wants to know who that teacher is.
As for the city library...a notification would be nice. The only time they ever called me was when someone checked out a book and they found my license...for the life of my I couldn't find my license or costco card...don't ever use either as bookmarks. I had replaced both before they were found.
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