Awhile back, I read a blog post at http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2007/12/a-treatise-on-t.html that talked about charging patrons for materials they place on hold. I must admit I had never heard of charging patrons for items on hold. For example, if you call your library and ask to request a specific item (such as a popular new bestseller), and they hold it for you, do they charge you for that? None of the libraries I've been to have ever done that, but apparently it happens in some places! Is this a common practice where any of you live?
This also got me to thinking about the fact that some libraries also allow librarians to place holds on books... this means that the librarians who are cataloguing and processing the books can place holds on the books before anyone else. Not all libraries allow librarians to place holds on books however - it depends on the policy of the library. Some libraries allow only patrons to place holds on materials, but other libraries argue that librarians are patrons too and therefore should be allowed to place holds too. An interesting discussion perhaps... just curious if anyone out there has any thoughts or comments on this too?
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- Talking Books Librarian
- I am an Independent Library & Information Consultant, with a focus on disability and older adult related issues. I have a master's degree in Library/Information Science. I started this blog to help make people more aware of resources available for older adults and those with disabilities, as well as to promote the free Talking Books program by the Library of Congress! Want to contact me? You can reach me at TalkingBooksLibrarian at gmail.com (take out the spaces and replace the "at" with "@").
3 comments:
Our local libraries don't charge to put books on hold. If they did I probably wouldn't use the feature. I can even do inter-library loans online, free of charge.
Mike
I can't imagine not being allowed to place holds on items. Having read the latest books is part of our job!
My current POW gives everyone equal opportunity--as soon as it shows up in our online catalog (once it's been ordered and is on the way a temporary record appears) anyone can place a hold.
I'm not a big fan of charging for holds either. I can understand charging if they don't pick up their holds--but charging to place seems to create an unfair double layer of access to patrons who can pay to get holds and those who can't. The library I grew up with charges a dollar per hold if you don't pick it up within a week of notification--I bet they don't have people requesting 40 books and then never returning for them!
It is counterproductive to inhibit a patron's desire to place a hold by charging for it. A major consideration is circ stats, you lose guaranteed check outs if people don’t place holds on items.
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