[Libs-Or] Discourse around charging for damaged or lost items?

[Mary Reser]

We consider each item and allow patrons to replace it with a "like" item. It has to be the same edition and in new or like-new condition.

Mary A. Reser
Library Director
Gilliam County Public Library
PO Box 34/134 S. Main Street
Condon OR  97823
(541)351-9512
1-(800)565-4558 ext. 3
(541)351-9511 Fax

From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> On Behalf Of Kathy Street via Libs-Or
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2024 12:51 PM
To: libs-or at omls.oregon.gov; Luke M. Kralik <Luke.Kralik at tillamookcounty.gov>
Subject: Re: [Libs-Or] Discourse around charging for damaged or lost items?

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We consider the individual item when possible. Is it old and on its way out? We have more leniency with children's books. We do not allow patrons to replace the item. That has resulted in too many errors.



Kathy Street

Library Director

541-481-3365



________________________________
From: Libs-Or <libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or-bounces at omls.oregon.gov>> on behalf of Luke M. Kralik via Libs-Or <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>>
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2024 9:35 AM
To: libs-or at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or at omls.oregon.gov> <libs-or at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:libs-or at omls.oregon.gov>>
Subject: [Libs-Or] Discourse around charging for damaged or lost items?


Good morning all,

Like many libraries, our library system went fine free a few years ago. There was a lot of professional discussion around this topic, and the reasoning behind the idea was very strong and persuasive. It appeared that as a profession we took a hard look at a long-standing practice, and (largely) decided that it was a barrier to library access that could be removed without compromising our mission to be good stewards of public resources.



With this in the background, our library is in the process of evaluating our policy on charging for damaged or lost items. Like many libraries, we take a sort of "recoup our losses" approach to assessing these charges, and charge what we paid for said item. However, under closer examination, this reasoning falls apart a little.



We do not always use the fees collected to purchase a replacement copy (maybe the book is now out of print, or when we have multiple copies that will probably be winnowed down anyway). Sometimes we are able to purchase a new copy for less than what we originally paid. In any event, there are times where there seems to be a real disconnect between what we charge and our stated motivation of recouping costs.



We are considering adopting a "standard replacement cost" approach (for example $5 for a paperback, $10 for a hardback, $x for a picture book, $y for a DVD...) rather than charging what we originally paid for the item, or negotiating with the patron when they find a less expensive copy than what we have listed in the ILS.



Do any of you have an alternative model in place for assessing these types of charges? Or could you point me to where this issue is being discussed? Any help is greatly appreciated.



Thank you,

Luke



PS: I don't know if anyone else thinks this is interesting, but if you think of the library as providing access to a collection, as opposed to individual items, it kind of makes sense that the patron is being charged for "degrading the collection" as opposed to "paying for item replacement". This idea is a little half-baked, but is sort of informing our early thoughts on this.



PPS: The reason I made the comparison to "fine free" is that while we need some mechanism for preserving access to the materials, it seems sort of unfair to have a greater penalty for damaging this book in comparison to the penalty charged for damaging this other book. The patron behavior/mistake is the same.




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Luke Kralik (he/him) |  Main Library Manager

TILLAMOOK COUNTY  |  Library

1716 3rd Street

Tillamook, OR 97141

Phone  (503) 842-4792 x 1760

luke.kralik at tillamookcounty.gov<mailto:luke.kralik at tillamookcounty.gov>



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