Library fine

pinkdiamond

just realised this morning I have a €4 fine on a book from the library i know it's just a small fine but I only took it out this week. There was no receipt paper left when I took out the book, and no label on the book so I didn't know it was only a one day loan.

any way I can get out of paying it!?

keesa

Go in and talk to them and explain it to them. I've gotten bigger fines wiped off because of an error with their site. <- there actually was an error, don't make it up!

Ficheall

I notice that they expect me to pay my most recent library fine online. Good luck to them.

Fooker

Yes, I have instances when I had hundreds of euros wiped off because of errors. I think once or twice I had checked a book out and it was changed to a one day loan book after I had checked it out..

keesa

Ficheall wrote: »

I notice that they expect me to pay my most recent library fine online. Good luck to them.

No no, good luck to you! You can't get exam results or graduate without paying your fees

Ficheall

I've no problem paying the fee. Having to pay online is ridiculous though.

isilidur1980

Ficheall wrote: »

I've no problem paying the fee. Having to pay online is ridiculous though.

The set-up is terrible too. If you owe say 8 euro on a book, you can't just pay 3 euro to bring the fine down to a level where you can loan more books. You have to wipe the whole amount. Surely this hinders a students ability to learn if they have less money than a better off person. Another ill-conceived idea!!

Cathalog

Ficheall wrote: »

I've no problem paying the fee. Having to pay online is ridiculous though.

How is it?

Firstly, you didn't return a book that you should've. You messed up - so now you have to put it right, using whatever means the college wants.

Secondly, paying online is the handiest way to pay for anything. You can do it from your own home. No need to even walk to the library!

Squeeonline

Cathalog wrote: »

How is it?

Firstly, you didn't return a book that you should've. You messed up - so now you have to put it right, using whatever means the college wants.

Secondly, paying online is the handiest way to pay for anything. You can do it from your own home. No need to even walk to the library!

It assumes that student have a bank account and are familiar with online banking. Personally, I wouldn't /trust/ the library system with my card details. How long do they retain them for, what is their encryption policy...? My money is on the system being designed without security being the first concern.

keesa

I think you can pay with the money on your account? Which you can put on in the library with your ID and cash?

number10a

Squeeonline wrote: »

It assumes that student have a bank account and are familiar with online banking. Personally, I wouldn't /trust/ the library system with my card details. How long do they retain them for, what is their encryption policy...? My money is on the system being designed without security being the first concern.

Who in Ireland in 2013 doesn't have a bank account unless you're some batshìt crazy aul fella on top of a mountain who keeps all his money in the mattress???

I had a friend who got a fine in error for €37 for some obscure microbiology book (she did History, so definitely wasn't hers) and she got it wiped by simply asking the woman at the desk who in their right mind would want such a book, let alone keep it for long enough to mount up €37.

Ficheall

Cathalog wrote: »

Firstly, you didn't return a book that you should've. You messed up - so now you have to put it right, using whatever means the college wants.

Forcing people to pay online is unfair, in my opinion, but I wouldn't strenuously argue that point with you.

Cathalog wrote: »

Secondly, paying online is the handiest way to pay for anything. You can do it from your own home. No need to even walk to the library!

I had to walk to the library to return the books...
Most importantly, as Squee says, I wouldn't trust the college with any account information. Not that I have any credit card/online banking to pay for whatever online anyway.

isilidur1980

Cathalog wrote: »

How is it?

Firstly, you didn't return a book that you should've. You messed up - so now you have to put it right, using whatever means the college wants.

Secondly, paying online is the handiest way to pay for anything. You can do it from your own home. No need to even walk to the library!

What do you think about the difference of now having to pay the whole fine on a book at once? We have all brought books back late at one time or another. Before we could ask them to take off the amount that would bring the fine down to the level that we could borrow a new book. We could also ask at the counter whether we could take a book out and pay the fine a couple of days after because of lack of funds.
Now we are simply told it is dealt with online. A student could be without a book for quite some time even though there are twenty copies available. I think the consequences of this method are worse than you make out. A lost week in a subject could be the difference between a pass and a fail! All for a simple mistake!:rolleyes:

Cathalog

isilidur1980 wrote: »

A student could be without a book for quite some time even though there are twenty copies available. I think the consequences of this method are worse than you make out. A lost week in a subject could be the difference between a pass and a fail! All for a simple mistake!:rolleyes:

What about the other end of the scale. You holding onto a book could be someone else losing out on a week which in turn could mean that they fail an exam.

isilidur1980

Cathalog wrote: »

What about the other end of the scale. You holding onto a book could be someone else losing out on a week which in turn could mean that they fail an exam.

I'm not disagreeing with the fine system. If books are late, well then fine the people. If I have a one day loan three hours late, I owe 6 euros. I can't pay off the one euro to bring the fine down to the five euro limit to get another book. I probably won't have a spare six euro on me either. So this is where the system falls down.
And the idea that I should have items back on time is understandable. In reality though, it has happened to us all at some point where something has happened where this can't be avoided.

Kinky Slinky

I have a €16 fine. I didn't get an email reminding me to return the book that I always normally get :mad::mad:

cat_xx

Kinky Slinky wrote: »

I have a €16 fine. I didn't get an email reminding me to return the book that I always normally get :mad::mad:

This happened me as well! I never got an email during the week and when I checked I had a €10 fine! Im going to say it to them at the desk tomorrow!

BhoscaCapall

Cathalog wrote: »

Firstly, you didn't return a book that you should've. You messed up - so now you have to put it right, using whatever means the college wants.

How you got into the position is beside the point.

Cathalog wrote: »

Secondly, paying online is the handiest way to pay for anything. You can do it from your own home. No need to even walk to the library

It's not very handy if you don't have a Laser card, or don't have money in your account.

number10a wrote: »

Who in Ireland in 2013 doesn't have a bank account unless you're some batshìt crazy aul fella on top of a mountain who keeps all his money in the mattress???

Loads of people have smartphones too, should we force everyone to pay their fines using some mobile app?

pinkdiamond

I think the library staff are very understanding in terms of what is fair and what isn't when paying the fines.

As I said before, I didn't know the book I took out was a one day loan and owed a tidy little fine by the time I realised. I didn't get an email either btw about the fine. I went into the library last week and explained my situation to the lady behind the desk. She didn't make a big deal about it, just wiped the fine and I was on my merry way again.

Thumbs up to the library staff!

isilidur1980

pinkdiamond wrote: »

I think the library staff are very understanding in terms of what is fair and what isn't when paying the fines.

As I said before, I didn't know the book I took out was a one day loan and owed a tidy little fine by the time I realised. I didn't get an email either btw about the fine. I went into the library last week and explained my situation to the lady behind the desk. She didn't make a big deal about it, just wiped the fine and I was on my merry way again.

Thumbs up to the library staff!

Well done the library staff!!:)