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Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:03 am
by Thomas Aquinas
Cirtur wrote:I just steal books from the library.
You have no idea how hard people doing this makes my life. It takes us weeks to actually verify that something is stolen and not just misplaced by dumbass patrons. If we know which particular dick patron has it, we have to bother them. If not, we're stuck. And paying for them really does cost the library money.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:25 am
by mountainmage
Library news for you librarian nerds! I heard about it a few days ago, and it's relevant now.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:51 am
by Thomas Aquinas
Personally, had I been working the desk that day, I would have waived the fine. Or if it had been cash, simply pocketed it and thrown the book out. (okay, not the most honest of actions. but they pay me minimum wage, I take what I can get.)

There are also two problems with the amount he paid... almost all libraries put a cap on the amount they will charge (usually the cost of the item) because it's ridiculous to charge in the hundreds for a book worth five dollars, and there's no way he would have ended up with a value ending in .32, since the huge majority of all libraries charge at a multiple of five cents. So I'm curious how he obtained this amount.

Yes, I'm a library nerd.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:03 am
by mountainmage
Perhaps Michigan is a state that doesn't follow normal library rules?

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:32 am
by Thomas Aquinas
Perhaps not. I imagine that it would be difficult to do anything rationally in Michigan. Just look at my dad.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:40 am
by LordRetard
TPL caps everything at the price that they set for the book, because after being so-and-so many weeks late it is considered lost, and we just charge a replacement fee instead. At that point you can do whatever you want, as far as our policy indicates.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:43 am
by mountainmage
Perhaps he paid what it would have been had there been no cap, as a way of apologizing?

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:57 am
by LordRetard
Hmm, I would consider that a donation myself. But then again I'm just a page and try my hardest not to get involved in anything. At least, definitely, that wouldn't be recognised by our computers or our policy as a late fine.
Thomas Aquinas wrote:There are also two problems with the amount he paid... almost all libraries put a cap on the amount they will charge (usually the cost of the item) because it's ridiculous to charge in the hundreds for a book worth five dollars, and there's no way he would have ended up with a value ending in .32, since the huge majority of all libraries charge at a multiple of five cents. So I'm curious how he obtained this amount.
Actually I think I know why this is... This book was taken out 47 years ago. They've lost all records of it, and it comes from a time from when every single library still used due date slips. Furthermore late fines have increased significantly since then, what with inflation and all... By my calculations, $171.32 is, at 1 cent per day, almost 47 years.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 3:55 am
by Thomas Aquinas
LordRetard wrote:Hmm, I would consider that a donation myself. But then again I'm just a page and try my hardest not to get involved in anything. At least, definitely, that wouldn't be recognised by our computers or our policy as a late fine.
Thomas Aquinas wrote:There are also two problems with the amount he paid... almost all libraries put a cap on the amount they will charge (usually the cost of the item) because it's ridiculous to charge in the hundreds for a book worth five dollars, and there's no way he would have ended up with a value ending in .32, since the huge majority of all libraries charge at a multiple of five cents. So I'm curious how he obtained this amount.
Actually I think I know why this is... This book was taken out 47 years ago. They've lost all records of it, and it comes from a time from when every single library still used due date slips. Furthermore late fines have increased significantly since then, what with inflation and all... By my calculations, $171.32 is, at 1 cent per day, almost 47 years.
Well then he didn't pay nearly enough... he should have either made it the current cost (probably $.05 or $.10 per day) or paid based on what it was at each period of time... so pay $.01/day for each day it was $.01/day, then pay $.05/day for each day is was $.05/day, etc. But I suppose he had no obligation to pay anything, so I won't get that hate-filled about it.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:52 am
by mountainmage
I have no idea how he figured out what he owed. You librarians are complicating a funny story!

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 5:50 am
by LordRetard
Actually, I'm not technically a librarian, I'm a page...

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 6:06 am
by mountainmage
Cram a book in it, librarian!

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 4:52 pm
by Thomas Aquinas
LordRetard wrote:Actually, I'm not technically a librarian, I'm a page...
Ditto. It's a much better job than being a librarian, namely because I don't have to think of myself as a librarian. Although getting paid ~$2.00/hour less for comparable work isn't fun.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2009 9:19 pm
by LordRetard
In TPL, there's a much bigger difference because of our union. For instance, legally, I don't think I need to be working. It's basically impossible to get fired and they have to pay you for showing up anyway.

Re: Arthur C Clarke

Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 12:24 am
by Phoenix
Apparently, to work at the library on campus, you have to have a Masters degree. And no, I'm not joking. I asked about jobs there one day, and this was the answer I got, which I asked around about and had confirmed. I mean fuck, what a way to make you feel like you wasted 6 years of your life. "Yay, I got my masters degree! Now I'm going to go work in the tiny-ass library at this State college (not university)!"