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DeAnn M
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| Posted: Feb 21 2008 at 12:05pm | IP Logged
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Hi There,
I think our family has paid for the new wing that is currently under construction at our local library. Not through a generous one-time donation, mind you, but rather through an accumulation of overdue fines.
Do you guys have a special system/storage area or basket for library books? How do you remember to return them on time? I feel sort of stupid asking this but I think my pride hurts worse with the, "tisk tisk" look from the librarians.
One of my main problems is that I check out books for a unit that we are doing...put them on our current unit shelf, and then sort of forget that they don't belong to us. Sometimes, or maybe often, our units get sidetracked with rabbit trails or sickness so they stay on the shelf...past their due dates.
I'm not terribly disorganized. I just seem to have a mental block in this area.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
DeAnn
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allegiance_mom
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| Posted: Feb 21 2008 at 12:21pm | IP Logged
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DeAnn M wrote:
Do you guys have a special system/storage area or basket for library books? How do you remember to return them on time?
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Deann, we do have a special section on our homeschool bookshelf for library books. All library books are supposed to be in there when not being read. They do end up in the living room, and in the boys' bedroom, but we haven't lost one yet.
I use Library Elf to keep track of my outstanding library books. I cannot recommend it enough. It is free! You can aggregate multiple cards over multiple libraries and users (like all of your childrens's cards). You can get notified of books due back by RSS, email or text message. I have books on hold and "due today" books TMed to my cell phone, so I don't forget to leave the house with them.
If your library does not participate they can sign up for free. I emailed my library's webmaster asking him to join Library Elf, and we were in within 24 hours. Library Elf makes money from Amazon referrals and Google ads.
Barring access to Library Elf, see if you can use your library's own online catalog to help you. Our library lets us log in and check our cards, plus request books on inter-library loan.
It also helps to have a regular library day. We go every Friday. Every Thursday night (or Friday am) I look over all the books due back, renew the ones we are still using (at my library's website), and then pack up all the ones to go back. I also make sure we can account for all the ones we are keeping, and return them to the bin.
The regular day really helps the most. Books taken out on Fridays are due back on Fridays and things seem to run more smoothly.
Hope these ideas help.
Blessings,
Mary Ann
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Wife 17 years
Mom to two boys, 14 and 8, and one pre-born babe in Heaven (Jan 2010)
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MaryM
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| Posted: Feb 21 2008 at 12:30pm | IP Logged
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DeAnn, I check out pretty massive number of books (currently have about 250) and I can't say that I never have late fees - I probably end up with a dollar or two a month in fines (almost always DVDs or CDs because they only check out for a week and have short grace period). But I have to say I don't mind - that feels like it's a modest fee to pay for our great service.
I wrote a blog post last year about my library usage with some picutres of how I store the library books to keep on top of them. I do keep them totally separate from our shelved books and store them in themed bins in one room. If I have personal books that we are using in a unit I take those off our shelves and but them with the bins instead of the other way around.
Does your library system have an on-line record for your card that you can check and track books? I check at the beginning of each week to see what will be coming due that week and make a note of when those books need to be returned. I just signed up for their on-line notification service (I had been on the phone notification system) and I should have done this a long time ago. They email me a notice out the day before books are due reminding me that some items I have are due tomorrow - it reminds me to check, get the titles and return them. Our library is very close to us - only about a dozen blocks away and I know that helps too because I can run something over there late at night (I have been known to do midnight library drop-offs) in order to get he books in before the library opens in the morning and avoid the fine. The thing that really does help is that there is 39 day grace period for juvenile materials and since 90% of what I have checked out falls under that category I can miss a due date and still be fine. So technically I just have to consider that 39 date out as the "actual" due date - now that can get me into trouble because at 40 days I would automatically owe $10 per item not returned. Hasn't happened, but I did come close with one last month.
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Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
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cathhomeschool
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We keep all of our library books and dvds on our coffee and end tables (and on the lower shelf of the coffee table) unless we are using some at the school table or a child is in the middle of reading one. It makes it so much easier to find the books, and they are always in plain view so they get read by the due date...usually. Now, when we have bunches of books out (more often the case than not), this forms large piles on the tables. That's ok by me, though.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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allegiance_mom
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Mary M., you are lucky to be able to get so many books. We are limited to 45 per card, and of those only 5 can be videos. We do have two cards, but I can still only get to 90!
I like Janette's idea, but it drives my husband crazy to have clutter on the tables. He is forever straightening up my stuff!  And we have a special shelf on our DVD rack just for rentals. We get them from the library, Blockbuster and Blockbuster Online. Sometimes we have as many as seven or eight DVDs out.
Mary Ann
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Allegiance Mom in NY
Wife 17 years
Mom to two boys, 14 and 8, and one pre-born babe in Heaven (Jan 2010)
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Mary G
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| Posted: Feb 21 2008 at 3:55pm | IP Logged
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I do have to say that MaryM is definitely my idol for library usage  ! Did she mention that she keeps them all in bins in the family room so they're easy to find? Also, at one point this past winter she came near the 300 limit (the receipt was pretty darn long).
That said, I only have about 30-60 out at a time ... spread over now 4 cards (JP just got his card and boy does he think he's big now -- he is 5 y'know  ) ... I just am constantly checking online to see what we have, what the library thinks we still have  , and what we have on hold. The Denver Library is super easy to ILL too so I always have a few of those. I'm one of those who has a library bin/bag going all the time -- as soon as we've gone thru a book, it goes in the bin to be returned on our next trip. Sometimes the ones I've requested aren't worth keeping so I return those right away ....
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3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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DeAnn M
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Thanks for all of your responses. Wow, I have never even thought about maxxing out my limit on my library card. If I can't carry it out in my boat tote then it usually doesn't come home with us. Maybe that's my problem, if I had more in sight, then I would remember to return them!
I signed up for Library Elf today. I think it will help to have a reminder e-mail sent to me every day until I return them!
I also thought of having the word, "Library" embroidered on a boat tote for another visual reminder .
I really want to utilize the library more and stop being such an amazon junkie, but my bad "overdue" habits have kept me from attempting to check out more books. Sometimes confession and a little advice gives one just the boost she needs!
Thanks Again,
DeAnn
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MaryM
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| Posted: Feb 21 2008 at 5:44pm | IP Logged
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DeAnn M wrote:
Maybe that's my problem, if I had more in sight, then I would remember to return them!
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Yeah maybe, I have no opportunity to forget them since they are always in my face!
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Mary M. in Denver
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Lori B
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We have two baskets in the living room for picture books and 'school' books from the library. If we need to read from one of them, we read it in the living room and put it right back in the basket.
My 12yod keeps her library books on a shelf of her nightstand since she does most of her reading in her room. We haven't yet lost or forgotten a book, and we usually have between 100 and 300 out at a time 
We also subscribe ot Library Elf- love it!
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22yod, 16yod (Asperger's), 14yos (dyslexia, APD, ADHD), and 11yod (JXG, glaucoma, legally blind)
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LisaC
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Mary, That's amazing! 250 books? When I get back to Colorado and can't find the book or DVD I want in the library, I'll call you! But did you really mean '39' day grace period?
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Lisa in Colorado
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mandmsmom2001
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I use Home School Tracker and it has a library book reminder but I still have to remember to enter it into the computer in the first place. It does pull up books with the ISBN number so entering them is very quick.
Our library system is online so I can at least check to see what we have out and when it is due but, oddly enough, it doesn't tell me where they are in the house!
I do have a basket but they rarely stay there - always being carted off in various directions.
I do have a slight advantage over most of our patrons as I am a library trustee and our director cuts me some slack but also knows me well enough to call and say "That book you've had for 2 months, someone else wants to read it. How about bringing it back?"
Our library does not collect fees on overdue books from our own library as the fees would not go to the library but instead collects donations in the amount of the fee.
In summary - I have a flawed system and am spared overdue fees but need a better plan. I've already emailed our director with the Library Elf info!
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Servant2theKing
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250 books MaryM!!! Up until today I never realized there could be such a thing as library envy!
Baskets, baskets, baskets...printouts posted with library infor. magnet on a magnetic board by our door... writing due dates with number of items in each category in RED on the calendar...checking online periodically for the status of our account. We rarely have overdue fines since we've begun utilizing these tips. We already have to pay a large yearly non-resident fee for our favorite library system, but it is still much, much less expensive than purchasing the large amount of materials we borrow. Once you develop a system for handling your library materials, it actually becomes routine...not nearly as painful as paying those fines or dealing with "tsk-ing" librarians. Do all librarians come across as though they actually own the materials...it seems to be a common trait in our area...They act as though you are borrowing their most treasured family heirlooms!
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JoBeth in OH
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DeAnn M wrote:
| I think our family has paid for the new wing that is currently under construction at our local library. Not through a generous one-time donation, mind you, but rather through an accumulation of overdue fines. |
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Our local library is undergoing renovation. Dh not-so-jokingly asked where our names as patrons would be included in the new construction.
Glad you asked this question, I needed a new system, too!
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mama251ders
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We too, are almost single handedly financing the brand new library in our town! A few weeks ago our library's whole computer system crashed and because I couldn't look up what books were due for almost 2 weeks (can you IMAGINE not being able to access the library for 2 weeks! I almost had a nervous breakdown.) , I accrued $78 in fines! $50 of that were from 4 DVD's that had gotten kicked under the seats of my car and I thought I had returned them! Luckily, I was not the only person that this happened to and they very graciously waived every single fine that was caused by the computer crash and left me with my well earned $13.75 in fines that had been there before the crisis. I always have fines and most always it's because a rogue child has taken some books to their room and lost them in the debris. We have a library crate that sits right here next to my computer desk in the learning room. That way when we need a book for school, they're right here and can be put back when we are done. Good luck with this problem!
Blessings,
Betsie
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Ouiz
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I'm still STUNNED that you can check out 250 books on ONE CARD!
Our limit here? TWENTY.
Is that not the saddest thing?
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Ouiz
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MaryM
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Servant2theKing wrote:
| 250 books MaryM!!! Up until today I never realized there could be such a thing as library envy! |
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Ouiz wrote:
I'm still STUNNED that you can check out 250 books on ONE CARD!
Our limit here? TWENTY. |
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Our limit is 300! (and I have been to it once  .) I do often think about the poor folks with limits so much lower. I would have such a hard time - you know with my addiction and all. So no need to envy me - it is rather an addiction at times. You see I have this compulsion to just keep checking out more and more and more.
LisaC wrote:
| Mary, That's amazing! 250 books? When I get back to Colorado and can't find the book or DVD I want in the library, I'll call you! But did you really mean '39' day grace period? |
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Lisa, you are most welcome to come to our "branch" library. Yes, DPL has a 39-day grace period for all juvenile books (honestly I know that is the real lifesaver - err, I mean cash saver for me! )
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Mary M. in Denver
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helene
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I bought a large wooden apple crate at the craft store to keep all our library books in. It also helps that we go to the library every week pretty much without fail so new books come in and older ones get returned regularly. Even so, we still get the occasional fine or two!
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jugglingpaynes
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I try to be consistent about the day I go to the library so that I know material will always be due on the same day, in my case, Monday. I cleared a bookshelf for library books and I make it a habit to use the online library system every Sunday night to see what is due each week. Those books and dvd's are put in the library bag.
This doesn't eliminate late fees and lost books. When you take out a large amount of material, you are bound to misplace one or two items every once in a while. I consider that a donation for a very useful free service.
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Cristina
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4Real Forums : Living Learning
Topic: Library Books...Help
