20 days to send a notice
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
United States
November 5, 2012 10:44pm CST
I took out several library books for the kids sometime in September. I returned what I thought to be all of them before they were due. Well then on Sunday morning I get an e-mailing saying "1st overdue notice" no mind you this is 20 days AFTER they were due! Lowe and behold I check my account and I was missing one book, thankfully my oldest knew where it was. However, between the fact that it took the library 20 days to notify me = 20 days of fines and my child not telling me there was a library book in her room how was I to know? Does anyone else think 20 days is a long time to send notice to anyone that something is overdue? Especially via e-mail where it's probably automated and they surly don't pay postage to e-mail. 
5 people like this
11 responses
@ElicBxn (63235)
• United States
6 Nov 12
Yeah, way too late.
When the blind roommate went into the hospital, she had just checked out several audio books from the public library.
On the last possible day, the roomie remembered them. AND because I didn't have one disc of the book she had started before she went into the hospital, I had to go home and get it.
Well, don't you know, they sent us a letter about THAT book. I called them, to no avail, until about the 3rd notification when I FINALLY got a REAL human on the phone.
I told them I KNEW I had returned the book and why I knew it.
So, he told me they'd go do a "shelf read" to see if it was there.
I guess it was, because we haven't heard anything since July about that book...
Just so you know, this was the very visit that the roomie broker her arms at.
3 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 12
I have no problem with being able to get ahold of someone there. The staff is excellent for the most part. I did have a similar situation as well and more than once! We had turned in a book also this summer my daughter checked a few out about Les Paul and knowing it was "missing" I renewed it as many times as I could. Then I went to the library and asked about a shelf check as I tore up their room and the places they would typically place a book and still had not found it. So I was pulling my hair out for a few weeks looking it was on the 
shelf the whole time!!!! I was livid! The library apologized for the mix up.
But you know I had that problem a few years ago as well with a different book.
Though the great mystery has always been a dvd that disappeared several years ago. I had to pay $26 for a dvd that wal-mart had a copy of for $7. We never got to watch the dvd at all. Now I had found a case the couch had "eaten" from a different movie that I had to pay $3 for. But after all these years I never ever found that dang movie, I wonder if it was ever in the case in the first place?!?! So between their high fines on dvd's of $1/day (can you imagine 20+ days of fines!!!!!! if the book above was overdue?!?!?) and that happening I don't borrow movies very often.
shelf the whole time!!!! I was livid! The library apologized for the mix up.
But you know I had that problem a few years ago as well with a different book.
Though the great mystery has always been a dvd that disappeared several years ago. I had to pay $26 for a dvd that wal-mart had a copy of for $7. We never got to watch the dvd at all. Now I had found a case the couch had "eaten" from a different movie that I had to pay $3 for. But after all these years I never ever found that dang movie, I wonder if it was ever in the case in the first place?!?! So between their high fines on dvd's of $1/day (can you imagine 20+ days of fines!!!!!! if the book above was overdue?!?!?) and that happening I don't borrow movies very often.2 people like this
@sjvenden27 (1840)
• United States
6 Nov 12
That is crazy... That libaray must be hard up for money or something.. Where you charged overdue fees?? Twenty days to send the first notice; I think they need to change something within the system.. And if they do their notices via email... If not may be they out to upgrade their systems..
2 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 12
I tried to get to the library the day I found out after work and they were locking the doors so I didn't get to plead my case. They start charging you a fee day one, so that's 20 days of fee's I will be charged.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
6 Nov 12
It seems to me that someone did not do their job. Someone should be in charge or responsible to get notices out after a week.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31636)
• United States
6 Nov 12
That's a real problem and something the library should be obligated to correct. All it takes is a few strokes of the keys and they can set their notifications like my own library does: a few days before my books are due I get a notice telling me that. If the books are overdue the notice comes on the due date and every few days afterward.
I keep the receipt that is printed out as a backup so I know the titles of the books I have checked out and don't miss one when I return them. I have a special place to put them when I finish them so they are all in one place when I need to return to the library. Is that something that might work for you or would your children cooperate? Kids are so flighty, I know getting used to a new routine like that might be more trouble than it's worth.
You should call/email your library and challenge the charges. Even though it's your responsibility to return the books, notifying you 20 days after the due date is ridiculous and smacks of incompetence.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157551)
• United States
6 Nov 12
I think a week might be appropriate. That is when my library sends the notice.
1 person likes this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 12
I had the slip in the bag I should of double checked that as well as my account. Though I thought I had good accounting for the books this time since I was the one reading them and I placed the book back into the bag when we were done with them.
I can see paying a portion of the fine but not 20 days worth... that's nearly 3 weeks to notify someone a book is overdue!
2 people like this
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
8 Nov 12
I believe that if they are going to notify you that you have books that are overdue via email, it should be done on the day or day after the books were due. In fact, I think that if you took out a lot of books and had overlooked one, I think that they should let you know that there was a book that wasn't returned when all of the other books were returned because it simply was a matter of overlooking something.
I do realize that they have to make their money somehow, but I really don't think that this is the right way to do it.
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37526)
• India
6 Nov 12
Sorry , i am not clear about what you wrote, let me guess, and write what i understood. I think its too long. But what could have made them to take so much of long time? May be they were waiting and want to give some extra time.
2 people like this
@3SnuggleBunnies (16374)
• United States
6 Nov 12
Perhaps but everyday the book is late they charge you a fee. If I didn't realize it was still outstanding they had 20 days to accumulate fee's and I don't think that's fair.
1 person likes this
@KrauseHome (36448)
• United States
17 Nov 12
To me, this sounds a little late as well. Especially since there is such thing as Email, and why are they just notifying you now? Did the first notice go into Trash and you accidently deleted it? Personally this does not make good Library practices and something you should be questioning more.
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
11 Nov 12
hi 3SnuggleBunnies I worked in the Tustin Library for 23 years and we gave a leeway of ten days before sending a fine. Ours was a branch of the orange County
Library system. The time is to give the person some time to find the
book.If they brought it back in that time slot there was only a small fine.
also say you found the book and it was due several days ago you can call the library and renew it for a month.20 days sounds unfair to me. seems different libraries have different systems.
Library system. The time is to give the person some time to find the
book.If they brought it back in that time slot there was only a small fine.
also say you found the book and it was due several days ago you can call the library and renew it for a month.20 days sounds unfair to me. seems different libraries have different systems. 
@katsmeow1213 (28717)
• United States
6 Nov 12
My library allows us to keep track of our account online to see what we have out and what fines we owe if any. That helps.. because I know my kids aren't always responsible. I've also asked everytime I've been in what else I have out just so that I know.
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
19 Nov 12
It sounds as though your local library's system is rather inefficient. I don't think that I have ever dealt with a library that was so delayed in its sending out notifications of overdue materials.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
6 Nov 12
I would venture a guess that this is how they make their money. I think it's kind of underhanded to do that. I think you could fight that by contesting that. They could have notified you when it was 5 days late or even before.
1 person likes this
