We use the library. A LOT. If you meet a homeschooler that doesn't, let me know. But I am so frustrated with the county public library system that I could scream.
When I return books, they don't get credited back to my account. This happens all the time. Once it happened with a book that cost over 100.00! Last month when I logged back into my account, three books I had checked out had not been checked back in. Of course I assume that if I call down there, they will give me the "Yeah, sure you turned them in" tone of voice, so I physically went down there and looked each one up on their computer. There was only one copy of two of the books I had and two of the third. I pulled all four books off the shelf (two copies of one, one copies of the other two), flopped them onto the circulation desk, and explained to the clerk my problem.
He says to me, "Why didn't you just call?"
So today I log into my account after returning two armfuls of books a couple of days ago. Sure enough, there is a book on Holt's account that hasn't been checked in. So I call.
I talk to someone's very sweet grandma who, for sure, makes homemade biscuits on a regular basis and I am polite and sweet as my Southern upbringing dictates. I explain to her my problem and my problem last time and told her that I was told to call with this problem. She tells me she will go look after she gets off the phone and if she finds it, she will check it in. If not, she will mark it "Claims returned". I love the connotation of that.... "claims returned", kind of like "claims she saw a UFO last night".
I ask her if she gets this problem a lot and she answers affirmatively. I ask her if it is true that there is a scanner on the box that electronically returns them. Affirmative. I tell her I deposit my books individually and slowly in case the box is learning disabled. I ask if there's a better way to return books. Negative. I ask her if I can take my books to the clerk at the desk and watch as they are scanned back into the system. Negative.
"So what happens when I call down here for the sixth time or eighth time and CLAIM I returned a book? At some point my card will be blackballed, right?" Yes.
"So what do you recommend I do?"
"You could speak to my manager."
Helpful.
I have made them check BEFORE I leave the library to make sure they all cleared. Don't know if that will help. It won't if you're using the night drop. They still have a $2.00 late fee on my account for not returning two DVD's when I had FIVE checked out. Why would I be late on returning two of those five? I love your rendition of this. So true. This is just ONE of a HOST of reasons that I have been frustrated with this system since my baby girl was test driving Pull-Ups.
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