The Issue of Overdue Library Items

I'm questioning myself, "Do I really need to talk about keeping track of library items and returning them on time?  People should know that if they borrow something from somebody or someplace, they need to return it eventually."  Unfortunately, I do need to talk about returning items on time since there are a number of people out there who don't. 

Generally, I find that library patrons fall into 3 groups: the on-timers, the slightly late, and the incredibly overdue.  The on-timers return their library whatnots on time.  All of us on the library staff love the on-timers.  The slightly late return their things a few days up to a week late because of a family emergency, broken down car, something unexpected, or honest forgetfulness.  They are all apologetic and more than willing to explain why they couldn't return their items on time.  Sometimes they even bring us cookies to make up for their lateness (FYI, my favorite is chocolate chip).  Then there's the incredibly overdue, the ones who haven't returned their library materials in two months or in two years (I kid you not).  Patrons in this category often have lost the items and don't want to face the music or have (seriously) moved out of state and can't be reached.  There are, however, some belonging to the incredibly overdue who actually do return their items, for which we are grateful.

It's not always an easy task to get the incredibly overdue to return items.  Just ask my colleague, who regularly handles these patrons.  She psyches herself each time before making phone calls to notify patrons of their overdues in an ever-so-pleasant way.  Sometimes the patrons take the news of their delinquency well, while others do not. 

Since our library doesn't charge fines, we rely primarily on the kindness of our patrons (and some polite badgering) to return materials.  Other libraries charge fines or even report their patrons to the police, who in turn jail some offenders.  In the Middle Ages when books were rare and painstakingly made, curses were put on anyone who "stealeth, or borroweth and returneth not" a book, having that person "be struck with palsy, and all his members blasted."  I don't know the statistics of returns during that time, but with curses like that, I would assume they were pretty good.

Believe me when I say that we librarians don't enjoy hunting down people to have our items returned.  We just want our materials back so other people can enjoy them and get use from them.  A library's items are meant to be shared among everyone; they're not exclusive to any one person.  Please return your library materials on time.

Diplomatically yours from the perch.