(no subject)

[darchildre]

Dear teenaged library patron,

When I tell you that you have too much accrued in fines for me to be able to check out books to you or place holds on your account, that does not mean that you can still check out with the self-check machine. It will, just as I have, tell you that your account is blocked because of your fines. Unlike me, however, it will also make an irritating honking noise at you.

Also, the correct response to me telling you (again) that you can't check out if you have over $25 in fines (and you do) is not "Are you sure?" Yes. I am quite sure. That's why I told you so, that's why there's a big screen that says BLOCKED that comes up when I scanned your card, and that's why the self-check machine made the irritating honking sound.

I know your sister's in the library somewhere - why don't you go ask if you can check things out on her card?

Comments

[laughingrat]

If I could make an irritating honking noise at patrons, that might actually solve a lot of my problems.

[darchildre]

It would certainly improve my mood at times, I tell you what. 8)

[amethystfirefly]

how can you run up that much in fines in the first place?? o.O

[darchildre]

Oh, man, you would be surprised. People occasionally run up fines over $100.

See, every day a book is overdue is 25 cents. And if you have a lot of books for a goodly time, it adds up pretty fast. And if you have a book overdue for over 4 weeks, we assume that you lost it and charge you for the whole cost of the book. Get a couple of those in hardback and you're over $25 in no time.

And sometimes there are people who get bunches of little fines at different times and just don't pay them because they can still check out. (This one would be me, though in my defense, I've never let it go to the blocking level.)

[silveradept]

"But I didn't check any of that out!"

"Well, someone did with your library card. You should hash it out with them and get things paid."

[finch]

Don't tell her that, because then her poor sister will end up unable to check out books too. (Happened to me with an ex, not a sibling, but still.)

[amethystfirefly]

o.O Damn. And I felt like shit when I ran up a $3.20 fine, even though most of that wasn't even my fault. (Jen said she turned the book in on time, but it didn't get checked in somehow.)