[CALIBK12] GEN RE: fines policy in your library

Tue Jan 29 09:25:53 PST 2008

Hi.
>From working in a K-8 library I have found that there are students who find
the idea of fines so prohibitive that they would rather not even check out a
book than risk bringing it back late. That completely works against the
primary goal of getting as many books into the hands and hearts of these
kids as possible. I believe in a liberal check out policy and no fines. I
encourage students to take a long slow time with a book if desired.

We talk about the fact that these books belong to everyone and how to take
care of them and how to be respectful about returning popular books when
they are done so someone else can check it out, etc.

If a student tells me they lost a book I tell them that it will probably
turn up later and it usually does, sometimes much later. If a book is
unintentionally damaged I sympathize that this happens and we discuss if
there was a way they could have prevented it or what they will do
differently the next time. This may not work in larger libraries but I find
the money that would be brought in to replace lost or damaged books is not a
significant contribution to the budget. Of course sometimes families or
students insist on replacing a book, which is great, but I try to keep the
idea of responsibility in the minds of students without it being attached to
the idea of a fine.

Thanks,
Jill

-- 
Jill Detweiler Clemens
Windrush School Library
1800 Elm Street 
El Cerrito, CA 94530
510-970-7580 ext. 208
jdetweiler at windrush.org

On 1/25/08 1:38 PM, "Blanche Woolls" <bwoolls at slis.sjsu.edu> wrote:

> Unfortunately you don't teach responsibility with charging fines. You
> teach people that if they are willing to pay for something, they don't
> have to be responsible. They can just pay.
> 
> Does it really make you more responsible if you get a parking ticket? Do
> you really learn from this fine? Or, do you just think, "Oh, dear, that
> was a problem." What you may do is stop the child from taking materials
> from the library. It certainly doesn't make the child love the library and
> that's the biggest loss of all.
> 
> The library is theirs to share with others and in the sharing they learn
> to return things so others can use them. If no one else needs it at the
> time, what is the harm.
> 
> You would be better to check things out for an entire semester with the
> understanding that this longer time meant they had to return anything
> immediatly if someone else needed it, that is real responsibility.
> 
> And, whatever do you do with all those pennies and nickles. Do you really
> need them? Trust me, most students remember the horrid librarian that sat
> on them and didn't let them take books because they had a fine. They will
> better remember if you teach them that the library is theirs and that has
> a responsibility, to bring back materials in a timely fashion.
> 
> Blanche
> 
> On Fri, 25 Jan 2008, Owens, Shaunterria wrote:
> 
>> I have to say I disagree. One of our jobs is to teach children about
>> responsibility and how to navigate the "real" world. In the real world, if
>> someone damaged someone else's property or worse, stole someone else's
>> property, there would be consequences. If kids are allowed to damage or keep
>> books, what leverage do we have to get them to return the books? A stern
>> talking to?
>> 
>> Shaunterria Owens
>> Library Assistant, Del Rosa Elementary
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: calibk12-bounces at lists.sjsu.edu on behalf of Blanche Woolls
>> Sent: Fri 1/25/2008 11:45 AM
>> To: Ron Black
>> Cc: calibk12 at lists.sjsu.edu
>> Subject: Re: [CALIBK12] fines policy in your library
>> 
>> Hello Ron,
>> 
>> If you stop and think about it, fines are the number one worst possible
>> public relations activity that any school librarian can initiate. Please
>> stop charging fines. If it does anything at all, it allows students to
>> think that they can keep books indefinitely because they are "renting"
>> them.
>> 
>> The library belongs to the students, not to the librarian. They are
>> checking out their books and they need to be taught the responsibility of
>> using their books in a responsible way. You might want to lengthen the
>> length of time for checkout, although in elementary school, the books are
>> seldom that long. However, if a student isn't responsible, they need to be
>> reminded, but don't do it by withholding their ability to check out a
>> book. To do that you are halting their ability to increase their reading
>> skills and their ability to use materials for research.
>> 
>> Truly, the best way to teach responsibility is to explain to all your
>> students that this is a jointly owned part of their education and they
>> must "Do unto others" which means bring books back on time. No fines.
>> 
>> Blanche
>> 
>> On Fri, 25 Jan 2008, Ron Black wrote:
>> 
>>> What's the fines policy in your district or at your school site?
>>> 
>>> A question has come up in our K-8 district concerning students being
>>> allowed
>>> to continue checking out books after they've been fined for lost or
>>> damaged
>>> materials. Up until now, our policy has been if they owe money, they
>>> can't
>>> check out until they return the material in good condition or pay the
>>> fine for
>>> it.
>>> 
>>> However now some have looked at the California Ed Code and interpreted
>>> it
>>> as reading that we cannot withhold textbooks OR library books from a
>>> student even though he or she has lost one or more and made no effort
>>> to pay or work off his or her fine.
>>> 
>>> While we can understand every student needing a textbook no matter
>>> what,
>>> some of our library technicians are understandably alarmed that we are
>>> soon
>>> going to be expected to allow students to check out library books at
>>> all times,
>>> no matter how many books they have lost and not paid for, and never
>>> having
>>> to show any responsibility for damaged or lost materials.
>>> 
>>> So, we're checking on what the policies are in other school libraries.
>>> Any info you can pass on to us would be appreciated. Thanks!
>>> 
>>> Ronald L. Black
>>> rblack at eusd4kids.org
>>> Central School Library
>>> Escondido Union School District
>>> 
>> 
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