Howell Carnegie Library has your back on late fees, damaged items
HOWELL — If you’ve ever forgotten to return a book or DVD to the Howell Carnegie Library, or accidentally damaged an item you borrowed, the staff has your back.
The library has eliminated late fees on most items and — like other county-wide libraries — has the ability to repair most minor issues for books and printed materials, said Circulation Supervisor Amy Wright. But what happens when there's a more significant type of damage, like a ripped page or a chipped DVD?
“If there’s something like water damage or a coffee spill, we may have to charge the (patron),” Wright said. “We try to avoid that anytime we can.”
If an item needs to be replaced, staff will scour the internet for affordable replacements from multiple sources, including Baker and Taylor, a national supplier of library content, software and services. Amazon, too, offers competitive pricing. The library will charge patrons the lowest amount possible for a replacement.
DVDs and CDs in particular can be easily damaged in a way that's not the fault of the patron, Wright said. In those cases, the library has a budget to help replace damaged items.
The library also lends out board games and puzzles. Missing game pieces can sometimes be replaced for a small feel. Occasionally, the full game requires replacement.
“We can find almost anything that we know is missing in a game,” Wright said.
Puzzles, of course, are a different story.
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Regardless of any accidental damage, Wright encourages patrons to report problems to staff. The library can place a hold on a member’s account if damage was discovered during an inventory check. A free or inexpensive solution is often possible.
“Above all, we don’t want (members) to feel nervous about telling us of any damage,” Wright said. “We want to provide a positive user experience so our members keep coming back.”
Learn more at howelllibrary.org.
— M. Alan Scott is a freelance writer for The Livingston Daily. Contact the newsroom at newsroom@livingstondaily.com.
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Howell Carnegie Library has your back on late fees, damaged items
