Missing (stolen) library books

House of Wolves wrote: »

Hey I was just wondering how do so many books get stolen from the library? also do people think its right to steal a book? the reason i ask is because i went to get a book and the majority of them are "missing"

They're not missing.

The librarians just dont like you.

House of Wolves wrote: »

Macroeconomics by robert j. barro

I have a copy I almost never use. If you are willing and able to get to UCD, I'll lend it to you.

Yeah I regularly stay in the library until pretty late so if you pick a day and I don't have plans I'll just have a study session. PM me and we'll sort something out.

But how can you graduate if you have a book sitting on your records that you stole?

Corruptedmorals wrote:

Ah I was thinking..but the doors beep and then I saw the references to windows.

The doors don't always beep. I accidentally (no, seriously) stole "The Tipping Point" back in first year - I was photocopying pages from it in Counter Reserve and had my bag in there with me because it was my first time in there and I hadn't seen the signs. When I was done I shoved the photocopies and the book in my bag without even thinking and wandered out - it was nearly a week before I found it in the bottom of my rucksack.

OP, what annoys me more is when people hide copies of books somewhere around the library that only they know, particularly when it's one copy of a book with many copies, because it means that you can't reserve *any* of the copies since the computer registers one as still being in the library.

I've heard horror stories of people hiding books or defacing them because they're on a grading curve and theoretically gain more marks by screwing over everyone else

Yes, happens in Law class - I wouldn't mind people getting expelled for wilful and malicious violations committed against books in the library - here in the US we have the honour code and people do get judged, sentenced and I believe in 2 cases last year severely reprimanded/expelled for breaching the code.

A university is first and foremost an institution of learning. Tearing pages out of books, defacing passages with black ink (drawing snails on the side while "wrong" can be funny for the right legal cases ) and doing that 'hide one book so no one can get a reserve against the remainder' (which I have all experienced in my 2 years studying at Trinity) is the lowest of the low. I shudder to think what kind of lawyers these people will become.

I have studied in a Chinese uni and am currently in an American one - both of their libraries seem to have less problems than ours (though a lot more resources are located on the internet and US students buy all their core books), I wonder are the punishments harsher/enforcement more strigent or more people simply have a better moral compass there.

As a side note - it is amazing how the honour code works here - professors trust students to take home a closed book exam, no one monitors us for cheating etc. etc. - but because people trust us to be adults (cheating in an exam ultimately harms ourselves) people act like one. However, for some reason I'm not sure we could introduce it into Ireland

edit:

Unshelved wrote: »

People who steal or deface Library books should remember that if caught, they could be subjected to a ban from the Library and a major fine. They should also think about their classmates and how they are deliberately depriving them of important Library resources through their own selfishness.

Like I said above - I'd be in favour of a much harsher penalty than a mere fine - suspension of the degree or even dismissal depending on severity.

And I'd say it's fine for them to be selfish - but their actions are not even helping themselves...do they believe they can "cheat" in court? Steal from opposing counsel? Lawyers get a bad rep from...well everyone, we certainly do not need people like this to join the profession and sully its name further.

This really angers me because I have witnessed it so many times (I used to think it was a joke until it actually happened). In fact my American law friends still think it's an urban legend (certain universities have a reputation here of having "bad" students who do this).

Not to be harping on about how great the US honour code is - but here, if all the books are out I can log onto the system and email one of the people who has taken out a copy and ask them if I can borrow it for a few hours/days etc. afterwards I'll just return it to them. How great is that?



Rant over.

I've read some hilarious commentary on cases before - a lot of abuse directed at homophobic judges, verses telling a plaintiff what she can go do to herself etc.

That's why I prefer to read the physical books over online references

Caoimhe89 wrote: »

I have absolutely nothing against the commentaries in the margins; they're all over the older books in both English and History. And they're hilarious. Especially about Wilde/Milton/Irish nationalism. It's only when a book is maliciously defaced so that others cannot use it at all that it becomes a problem.

Yeah, anything to distract me from those assignments! The funniest is when strangers start having conversations in the margins, as in one writes "Hey" Some other randomer (i assume) replies "Hello" the the conversation goes on for ages...was getting whole life stories over about 4 margins! Excellent stuff!!