Library Tip

[TromboneAl]

Whenever you return books to the library, take a photo of them with your phone.

Today, the library said I hadn't returned a book. I asked Google Photos to show me all the pictures I'd taken of books, and I was able to prove that I'd returned the book on Dec 16, 2017.

This is about the fourth time the photos have come in handy.

 

[bingybear]

I get a receipt for all library returns from the library. I expect that should be enough to claim I returned them.

 

[fh2000]

Whenever you return books to the library, take a photo of them with your phone.

Today, the library said I hadn't returned a book. I asked Google Photos to show me all the pictures I'd taken of books, and I was able to prove that I'd returned the book on Dec 16, 2017.

This is about the fourth time the photos have come in handy.

It happened few times that our local library showed that we did not return some books, we now bring the books to the counter, watch them scan each item as return. No more issues.

 

[Sunset]

Good idea, ours just has a drop deposit door, like a mail box in the wall, I use the inside one.

 

[Scrapr]

Huh...when i return my digital books they just disappear into thin air. I'll try to record that in a couple weeks

Mrs Scrapr listens to books on tape. I should do that for them.

 

[Elbata]

Good idea, I've had that issue a few times. Related, I take a photo of my restaurant receipt so if there's ever a question about the tip.

My library here in Orange Cty, CA used to charge $.25/book that was ordered online. Now it's absolutely free.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Whenever you return books to the library, take a photo of them with your phone.

Today, the library said I hadn't returned a book. I asked Google Photos to show me all the pictures I'd taken of books, and I was able to prove that I'd returned the book on Dec 16, 2017.

This is about the fourth time the photos have come in handy.

You must take a lot of photos. Not to mention there must be a statute of bibiiolimitations!

 

[omni550]

I had a book I returned show up as "not returned". Luckily, I found it had been reshelved on the library shelf. Library didn't ask for any overdue fine.

Although I like your idea, T-Al, I often end up returning books after hours. Not sure that a pic of the media being returned poised outside the book-drop would count. Although I s'pose it's better than nothing.

omni

 

[Bestwifeever]

I had a book I returned show up as "not returned". Luckily, I found it had been reshelved on the library shelf. Library didn't ask for any overdue fine.

Although I like your idea, T-Al, I often end up returning books after hours. Not sure that a pic of the media being returned poised outside the book-drop would count. Although I s'pose it's better than nothing.

omni

Our library called once about a way overdue book. We said we had returned it before the due date and the caller just said, okay then, it must be misshelved. I'm sure a selfie of us putting it in the return slot would have been accepted too.

 

[Marita40]

Wow! Never had that happen and never even thought to take a photo. And here I am at 62 having dumped about a million books in the outside slot of many different libraries over all these years! Just another thing to worry about now...

 

[TromboneAl]

Although I like your idea, T-Al, I often end up returning books after hours. Not sure that a pic of the media being returned poised outside the book-drop would count. Although I s'pose it's better than nothing.

omni

I think that works fine, too.

>Must take a lot of photos.

It's a product of free storage of Google photos.

 

[mystang52]

Oh, great, another thing for my OCD mind to worry about. I no longer mail anything unless I go into the post office. Now I can't unring this bell, so can no longer drop off books at the library's outside book drop.

 

[jazz4cash]

Well heck, then just stage the return, take the pic and keep the book.

 

[Sunset]

You must take a lot of photos. Not to mention there must be a statute of bibiiolimitations!

Librarians are ready to read you the riot act

https://news.sky.com/story/better-l...library-book-returned-after-84-years-11521162

"
In a Facebook post, the Shreve Memorial Library in Louisiana said: "Better late than never, right? We had a patron return a book to our Main Branch yesterday that his mother checked out in 1934 when she was 11 years old.

"That means the book is only 84 years overdue! The book is Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters."

 

[Bestwifeever]

Well heck, then just stage the return, take the pic and keep the book.

Brilliant!

 

[CaptTom]

Well heck, then just stage the return, take the pic and keep the book.

The only problem with this strategy for stealing books is that I'm trying to declutter and get rid of my books!

Maybe I could reverse that and sneak some of my own, unwanted books into the library drop slot after hours.

 

[pb4uski]

I had a book I returned show up as "not returned". Luckily, I found it had been reshelved on the library shelf. Library didn't ask for any overdue fine.

Although I like your idea, T-Al, I often end up returning books after hours. Not sure that a pic of the media being returned poised outside the book-drop would count. Although I s'pose it's better than nothing.

omni

Just do a short video clip of you dropping the book into the slot... show the book and then your putting it in the slot... if they question it then email them the video.

 

[Chuckanut]

Well heck, then just stage the return, take the pic and keep the book.

The next time somebody in the group complains about the younger generation's morals, work ethic, etc., I will refer him or her to this message.

 

[davismills]

Judging by the titles of those books, the staff might have assumed you were a thief.

 

[braumeister]

The only problem with this strategy for stealing books is that I'm trying to declutter and get rid of my books!

Maybe I could reverse that and sneak some of my own, unwanted books into the library drop slot after hours.

My local library has another deposit box outside, about 50 feet from the return box, that is specifically for book donations. Everyone uses it, and a few times a year the "Friends of the Library" group of volunteers holds a sale where they raise a lot of money to help support the library.

 

[fritz]

Our library has online access that shows registered cardholders what's checked out as well as what was returned/checked back in (items removed from checked out status). They send you an email after you've checked items out, and send email reminders as to what's coming due to be returned. If we return at the outside drop-off (say after hours), just go online and check for the return the next day. We usually return items when they're open and (in the past) requested a receipt due to missing returns, but that was before signing up for online access. Would like to see them email notification of returns like they do with checked out.

They also regularly communicate via email as to the latest books, music, dvds coming available, as well as upcoming library activities. We get in line monthly for the latest releases of books, movies, and music by simply checking off what we'd like to obtain, on their emailed online signup. They send email notification of availability and hold it for 5 days for us to pick up. Also get a week on dvds, but return them when viewed to move them along for others. eBook also very easy to access/download. Our 55+ community gets visited by them weekly and they supply books via our onsite lending library.

FYI - our library serves a town of aro 20K people, but we borrow through them with access to a larger multi area library system (they'll transfer it for us to pickup at our library).

I throw all this information out there, as we found that our library was not the best at getting their offerings/capabilities out to their community and patrons. Went in to view Consumer Reports magazines for a product evaluation (which the one I wanted was missing) and the librarian brought it up on an available public use computer for me to view. Informed me that I could access CR at home via the library online with my library card.

 

[GravitySucks]

I donated my library to the local library in an unsuccessful decluttering effort.
Last month when checking out a book I was told I owed a return I am sure I made.
Told the librarian I had dropped it off and she just said must be their mistake and took it off the database.
But they know me there. Tiny village branch of the county library system. All three librarians were there when I moved here over 15 years ago.

 

[jazz4cash]

Maybe I could reverse that and sneak some of my own, unwanted books into the library drop slot after hours.

I might try that too!

 

[pullmyfinger]

Judging by the titles of those books, the staff might have assumed you were a thief.

That is hilarious!

 

[FrankiesGirl]

I had this happen over 4 times a few years back, and got tired of returning them at the front desk - even had one that was placed in the librarian's hands go missing! It was an interlibrary loan, slated to go out to the college it was borrowed from and she forgot to check it in before sending it off.



All but one was eventually located as put back on the shelves without being checked in, and I had to pretty firmly argue for them to please check the pile of stuff in as I watched each time I'd go to the front desk - they'd swear that they never misplaced/forgot to check in a book. SOOOO frustrating.


So I now take a video of all the books and DVDs (I open the cases and show the number of CD/DVDs inside even), then show myself dropping the stack of stuff in one take in their drop inside the library as proof, and I confirm all got checked in before I leave (I spend about an hour browsing for new titles and also update apps on my phone before leaving).


I love the library, and I get that librarians/volunteers can get super busy and have tons of stuff they have to keep up with, but I was livid after it kept happening.