Librarians!!!!!!!!

A word of advice - if you are told you have an overdue book outstanding, always check the library shelves before you leave. It is almost as likely to be there (not discharged correctly) as under your bed at home.
How do I know this? I'm a librarian (but not a public library librarian - and the people who serve on the counters of public libraries are rarely qualified librarians anyway)

Here they just update any outstanding books on the card to make them the same due date as any you want to take out. Very sympathetic and lovely.

SofiaAmes, there are libraries like that over here too, the ones in my city are computerised and friendly. I think it depends on the authority. Moving to Yorkshire might be cheaper than moving to LA too

Agnes

American libraries are way ahead of us still. And librarians are taken much more seriously too - its a real profession over there unlike here.

They do much more in terms of community stuff too - lots of kids activities etc. Am a librarian and wish we were took more of an American attitude to libraries etc.

Bookwormmum - your local lib does sound harsh. At mine they really do there best not to stop anyone borrowing and still let you borrow if you have an overdue which is completley right for kids I think. They also do not charge for overdue books for children as it may discourage pple brining them back and therefor borrowing again - right again. I would write a polite letter (if you can be bothered!!). Sounds like a very old fashioned library world attitude.

I have just moved back to los angeles from london and recently started going to the library here. What a pleasure!!!! Everything is so organized. To begin with they give you 3 library cards, two of which are little plastic slivers (size of bar code) that slide onto your key ring and third is traditional credit card size - you use what's convenient to your lifestyle. Then everything is on computer and accessible on the internet. AND the best part is that they send you an email 4 days before your books are due to remind you of the due date along with a list of all the books that are due!!! You can re-check out the books online and put holds on books online.

I was told this when I returned Dd1's books last week. The lady at the desk said we still had another book out and that dd couldn't borrow anymore until it was returned.

When I got home I asked dd for the other book and she said she'd only had 4. Found the over due letter and sure enough only 4 books on there which is exactly what i'd taken back.

I rang the library and explained, gave them dd's ref number and she said that dd's account was clear, no outstanding books at all.

Was very confusing.

This does seem a bit mean. We returned a toy to our library which also lends out toys. We told the librarian we'd lost a piece and she said it was fine. Once we ruined a book and they only charged us about 20p. I'd appeal to a higher level!