Hello, James et al! In our latest exchange, on 13 Nov. 2021 at 08:00 [JST] I received from you, James L. Weinheimer <weinheimer.jim.l@gmail.com>: When I used to have to deal with circulation at a small, undergraduate
institution, circulation was one of the parts of the job that irked me the most. The college administration didn't want much library interaction with the general population so almost everything had to go through them (except recalls) and the result was that little was accomplished. There was supposed to be a system of fines but those were never collected. All that was enforced was at the end of the year when students had to bring back whatever library materials they had or pay for them. If they didn't they wouldn't be allowed to graduate. I was thankful I didn't have to deal with any of that.
Concerning faculty, many of them considered the library's books as their own personal property and would "check them out" for years. None of that worried me much unless someone actually asked for the book and it was checked out. Students would normally bring the materials back fairly quickly when asked, but much of the faculty simply ignored us.
That was one reason I was so much for digital materials: circulation becomes irrelevant.
I don't know if that helps but you do have my sympathy!
My current library will not be charging and collecting fines. What we will do is to check out the materials in perpetuity, but inventory them once a year. Everyone will have to bring in whatever te has checked out just so we can make sure the material still exists and is usable. If the library can't get the patron to The staff is small enough that it won't be burdensome. My question was really about the mechanics given the changing environment. My experience with faculty parallels yours. Once a year, the library had to have the faculty bring back everything. Mostly we simply renewed the material. When we asked why, we had a set response: "This university is a state agency, and that makes this state property. We have to make sure the material still exists and is usable." I saw the director get into an argument with a faculty member once. The director won, so to speak, because te implied the state police would support the library and send the state martials after the faculty member if it came to that. The faculty member replied the university administration would support tim. The director's reply: the university administration could thereby be charged as accomplices after the fact. The faculty member capitulated, albeit grumblingly reluctantly; and the director lasted ten more years, so te was undamaged by the exchange. An ugly exchange, to be sure, one of the ugliest I have witnessed in my career. Thanks for your comments. -- 気を付けて。 /ki wo tukete/ = Take care. -- Charles. Charles Kelley, MLS PSC 704 Box 1029 APO AP 96338 Charles Kelley Tsukimino 1-Chome 5-2 Tsukimino Gaadenia #210 Yamato-shi, Kanagawa-ken 〒242-0002 JAPAN +1-301-741-7122 [US cell] +81-80-4356-2178 [JPN cell] mnogojazyk@aol.com [h] cmkelleymls@gmail.com [p] linkedin.com/in/cmkelleymls <http://www.linkedin.com/in/cmkelleymls> Meeting Your Information Needs. Virtually.