Huron Expositor, 1999-05-05, Page 7it
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Inside look...
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 5, 1999-7
Twenty cent fines generate thousands of dollars
said, "We've been
pleasantly surprised
because hotels have mailed
them back." •
She said a patron will
uncover a book. written off
as lost long ago, when they
...at library fines
5y Scott HiIgendorff
Expositor Editor
That small, 20 cents-a-
day.fine a library user pays
for an overdue book added
up -to 124,000 revenue for, -
the Huron County library -
system. .
"It's a long established
tradition to charge
fines," said Beth
Ross, - Huron
County librarian.
But it isn't the
library's intent to
make a profit from
the, fines. one of
%the reasons they
remain so low.
"It's a system of
fairness so people
don't monopolise
a particular hook
or video." .said
Ross.
Most . library
material is loaned
out for three
Weeks .and- the
general fine is 20
cents per day the
library is ripen if
the material is
overdue. Videos.
that` tend to be
more • popular.
have shorter loan
times and h i g her Kim Overholt checks out a book-with•Seoforth Librarian Trudy Broome. •
dollars for the library
system.. -
Ross said - _the
money -goes hack into
the general revenue tor -
operating the library
system... .
.Despite the large amounts
of money, collected 20 cents'
at at a time. Ross said they
try not to make it hard for
people to use the lihrhry.•
Only extreme cases will
lead to a person's library.
through the cracks.
With the computerized
system, all materials are
tracked and fines come up
each time someone borrows
new material.
At first, Ross thought this
system.would increase the
revenue but instead, has
found more people. tend to
bring hooks back on time,
offsetting the additional
fines that are caught
through the automated
of penalty in place.
Broome also said staff
material is time sensitive
and a book on the crisis in
Kosovo, for example,
would be- important to
readers for a short period of
time. They need the
incentive of at least a small
fine, to get the books
returned so other patrons -
can enjoy them. -
At the same time, Ross
said, "We don't want to
make using the
library a
hardship for
anyone."
If a person
has been sick or
there have been
personal reasons.
for not being
able to get . a
book back to the
library,. Ross
said librarians
will often waive
the fine.
Locally,
Broome said
Seaforth
generates about
$3,600 in fines
but said there
isn't , one
particular group
that more often
brings books in
late. _
- Scott Hilgendorff photo "The kids
who are 'overdue
fines. .
.Also. as long as another
patron hasn't requested the
material. lihrar users can
renew hooks by telephone
• and not have to pay fines if
they need them lo_nger,thap
three weeks.
However. Trudy Broome
said -people forget- CIT. gel
hussy and don't return books
on time. leading to paying
the small fines - and
accumulating thousands -of ;
privileges being suspended.
until an account is settled.
And the. account is
monitored • by computer
now. making it harder for
people to drop a hook off in
the return slot and have
fines go undetected.
• Under the old. manual
.system•of-keeping track,
librarians had a hard time
keeping track of finesand •
people often slipped
system.
• `'We don't want to cut
people off from using the
system." said Ross, adding
they keep the fines .low or
eight-year-old children
;wouldn't be able to afford --
to use the lihrary.
"The material belong-s.to
everyone in Huron .County.
If you.keep it•fong..that •
isn't fair." said Ross, so_
therehas to be.somc kind
Fines generate some revenue
but cuts lead .to fewer books
While tines generate revenue that helps a
library operate.` the Huron County library
system does not have major revenue
generating activities. • -
Huron County Librarian Beth Ross said
they are counting on donations more and
more to help replenish book.supplies and
keep new materials on the shelf. - In the past 15-years7she said -the library is
only able to buy half as many books as it
used to with waiting.Iists for materials
growing and taking longer to meet a patron's
requests. -
- "Our hook budget has been cut in the last
couple years." she 'said. adding provincial
grants. one of the major sources of revcnuc:
have diminished.
Much.of the library's financial support
comes from tares collected by the county. I
And now. esith•thc low Canadian dollar.
the Iluron County Lihrary's.huying power -
has been reduced. Most of -the honks -it -
purchases come from the United States and
- with the low dollar, they aren't able to buy as
many books::
Last year, they received about -S600 in
donations for books which Ross said was a
great help. .
People will donate hooks in memory of
someone or in honour of them.
-For.-example Ross -said people .will -donate
'a hulk as a gift for someone who is retiring.
Book. plates arc. used to honor that person
or keep their memory alive.
''There area lotof demands on people's
generosity." she said., adding they appreciate -
any donaticins'that are made.
In addition to hooks. people or
organizations, like the .Huron County
Genealogical Society. will donate money for
microfiche readers or for renovation projects
at specific branches.:-
.• Others donate for children's programs or
for the library's general use.
Catholic board
The Huron -Perth Catholic
District School Board
approved a -new kindergarten
report card and -conference
form at its April 26 board
meeting. it aims to create
More parent involvement.
T:-ustce Bernard Murray
. Ads the pard ell esurrent
system of having a parent -
teacher conference in terms
one and two. with a report
card for the final term in
both juniorand senior
kindergarten. • allowed
parents who couldn't attend
the conferences to go to the
end of the year with no
Communication. The new
system will send home
report cards in tertwo
and thrmsee. with a parent
teacher conference -only in
term one. ' '
"it's a great improvement
and 1 think it will mean
improved communication."
he said.
Trustee Vince Mclnnes
said he was amazed at the
le%cl of expectations the
report cards showed in areas
of the arts. mathematics
language. personal and
social development .and
science and technology.
"Some of this stuff 1
couldn't do myself," he said.
quoting an expectation in
mathematics that says. "
approves kindergarten reports.
measure and compare the finger in hot water and
length. weight. mass. saying..'Ouch'? I 'can't
capacity and temperature of believe these- - are
objects. and demonstrate
'awareness of the passage of
time."
"fs that like putting a
O•
expectations in junior
kindergarten. if .they can do
this. it scares me." he added.
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- arc the kids of the
adults who are overdue,'`
she said. although material
taken out by students for
independent Studies tend id
accumulate fines because
they need the material for
long periods of time.
Books get left around the
world on vacations or
returned decades later.
usually after a person
moves: said Broome.•
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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-The affairs of the .Seaforth Community Hospital are
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Seaforth Community Hospital
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P.O. Box 99
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