[CALIBK12] Query: Lost Book Pricing

[Anne Snyder]

Dear Calib Friends,

In our district, soon we will be revisiting the topic of how we
determine what we charge for a lost book (we don't charge fines for
overdue books).  We are considering a more standardized policy across
the district since at the moment each site does it a little bit
differently.  I was hoping that some of you would share your
thoughts/experiences/policies on this issue.

*Do you just charge the individual price you paid for the item or the
current replacement cost? 
*Do you include tax, s/h, processing?  Are these charges actual costs
related to the item or a standardized fee?
*Do you take depreciation into consideration?
*How do you determine the charge for a donated item?

Our automation system records and overdue slips reflect the cost of each
individual item without tax, s/h, or processing fees, but we realize
that this does not often reflect the true cost we paid for the item or
will pay for a replacement.  We are trying to develop an equitable
policy so we are charging a price that is fair to both sides.  We won't
be going back to change the prices currently in the system.  

Under consideration is adding a note to our overdue notices to indicate
that the price per item is "subject to a processing fee" or "subject to
additional charges such as tax and processing." Currently, some sites
round up the price to an even amount to reflect these additional charges
at the time the book is marked "lost" (one benefit of rounding is
reducing the number of times we have to make change).  This results in a
somewhat higher price if the site ends up marking the book lost and
generating a bill.  Thus, if someone pays quickly based on the price on
the overdue slip, the cost is likely lower since we accept the payment
as "paid in full."

Thanks in advance for your advice,
Anne

 
Anne Snyder
K-8 Librarian
Ceres Unified School District
(209)556-1500 Ext. 1109

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