[CALIBK12] Library Fines in Ed Code?

[Catania, Amy]

Speaking as a librarian that has a budget of $0 from the district and
has to rely on fundraisers, donations, grants, etc., not charging for
lost or damaged books is not an option.  It is the only way we can
replace those books.  If we spent all of our limited resources on
replacing lost or damaged books, we would not be able to purchase new
books.  We do, however, charge what the book was worth at the time of
the purchase.  So, if a book has a price of $ 5.95 on the cover, that is
what we charge, not the price at the present time, as one can always
find used copies for a fairly inexpensive price.  The budget crisis is a
reality; we cannot afford to eat the cost of say 200 books (and yes,
when I went through the lost list at the beginning of the year, there
were 400 books on it, so 200 is conservative).  

On a side note, when bills go out, this reminds students to return the
books checked out.  If not for sending out bills, we would not get half
of our books back, as students forget the due dates.

Now there may be a difference between elementary, middle, and high
school, as someone already pointed out.  I am at a high school.  Billing
does not discourage students; they look at the bills as reminders.
Students will often turn in the overdue book and go straight to the
stacks for more.  Even students who have paid for books still come back.
It does not seem to affect students.  Every school, though, may be
different (or maybe it's just the apathy of high schoolers - who knows).