• FosterMolasses@leminal.space
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    22 hours ago

    Worked hard senior year to track down an obscure philosophical text for some report I can’t even remember, wound up having to use the interlibrary loan system from the next county over just to get my hands on it. The last time it had been checked out was like 6 years ago.

    It was such a gem I wound up never returning it, reasoning that “no one else will appreciate it enough”, and it’s been mine ever since. Think I still owe 75 on it, but I was a broke college student at the time lol

  • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    9
    ·
    1 day ago

    I work at a law firm, and am surrounded by law librarians, and yes, you do not want to tangle with them for any reason.

  • GreenShimada@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    40
    arrow-down
    6
    ·
    2 days ago

    Meanwhile, in libraries: “I’m being laid off? WHY? No budget for so many staff? But I’m only part time, I don’t even get health insurance… PLEASE, I’ll lose my house!”

    lol, good job, OP - really stuck it to the man!

    • Velypso@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      23
      ·
      2 days ago

      Using your free library card to rent free things and returning them without paying a late fee isn’t going to get anyone laid off or any library closed.

      • FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        1 day ago

        True.

        And it’s not like those fees don’t cap before they hit a point where they’d be meaningful in that way.

        Also not a good idea to piss off librarians though.

      • GreenShimada@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        23 hours ago

        No, of course, not. but it ads insult to injury of a municipal service that already struggles to maintain a shoestring budget.

      • GreenShimada@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        13 hours ago

        It’s that libraries are already over-extended in terms of budget. Running up fines by depriving a library the only resources it has, books on shelves that people check out, only hurts the few people still using libraries.

        • nocturne@slrpnk.net
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          12
          ·
          2 days ago

          I can pulp your flesh and snap your bones in less than a second and without so much as lifting a finger. What is the power of technology compared to that?
          VEL’CONA, CHIEF LIBRARIAN OF THE SALAMANDERS

          I hope that clears things up for you.

            • nocturne@slrpnk.net
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              11
              ·
              1 day ago

              A Librarian is a Firstborn or Primaris Marine combat psyker of the Space Marines who survives an Adeptus Astartes Chapter’s rigorous screening and training to bend the powers of the Warp to their will for the benefit of their fellow battle-brothers and in service to the Emperor of Mankind. Beyond their psychic duties, the Librarians of the Astartes are also expected to record the great deeds of their Chapter and maintain the Chapter’s storehouse of ancient lore, the functions for which they are named.

              Hope that helps.

      • Mrs_deWinter@feddit.org
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        2 days ago

        If items are one month overdue, we will bill you for the replacement cost.

        I mean… I get it, but that sounds like a fine to me.

          • Mrs_deWinter@feddit.org
            link
            fedilink
            arrow-up
            5
            ·
            2 days ago

            Nice. And anyway, no shade whatsoever to libraries, they deserve every penny they get. Absolutely fair to pay for replacements in my book.

    • MonkeMischief@lemmy.today
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      1 day ago

      Ours still has fines, but they’re really small (max of $4 per item) unless they bill you for replacement for not bringing something back (or bringing it back destroyed.)

      I think it kinda works for the most part, some people just don’t care for others’ stuff, but I think a fine structure that’s acts as negative reinforcement toward expected behavior without being overly punitive, is good for keeping material in the library.

      Heck, they even renew automatically. They’re definitely not out to make a revenue out of it or harshly punish people.

    • RebekahWSD@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      4
      ·
      2 days ago

      Mine has fined but they excuse them every time if you bring things back so it’s basically fine free although on paper its not.

      • lad@programming.dev
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 day ago

        This makes sense, a library is interested in keeping the books it has, not in getting profit out of users. Or at least it should be anyway

    • Trainguyrom@reddthat.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      2 days ago

      My local library system went fine-free around 2020, reintroduced some fines around 2023ish and now they’re somewhere between fine-free and not? I’m honestly confused and also I so rarely incur fines that I’ve not been able to fully figure out the current fine structure

      • smh@slrpnk.net
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        1 day ago

        My library has no late fees but we do charge for lost or damaged item fees. We really just want the materials back. Fines are a PITA to deal with for both staff and patrons, more hassle than they’re worth. They also can scare patrons into not bringing items back because they’re worried about either the fee or being yelled at (our patrons skew young and maybe aren’t used to how libraries work: they often ask about the cost for “renting” books instead of “checking out” books, and we have to explain it’s a free service.)

        edit: scary librarian voice. a lost item will go on your permanent record and you won’t be able to graduate until you pay it off

      • tacosanonymous
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        2 days ago

        Fine free if you return the materials. Otherwise, you’re blocked from checking out materials if you hit a certain amount ($10+ usually, depends on the library). There is a likely chance that they’ll work with you to reduce it and Unless you owe hundreds of dollars, you’re probably getting your account deleted in ~5 years so that’s also a sort of forgiveness.

      • dkppunk@piefed.social
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        5
        ·
        2 days ago

        I have cards in 3 library systems. They all work this way:

        Each system requires a yearly card renewal, you have to physically go into a branch to renew, although they do have accommodations for disabilities and stuff. If you have not returned a book or have way overdue books, you will be unable to renew your card unless you return the overdue ones. The only fees I have are if I were to lose a book and it needs to be replaced.

    • Brummbaer@pawb.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      2 days ago

      That’s good. Here they will just reclaim the money you own them for the book after a while and that will get annoying and expensive.

  • BillyClark@piefed.social
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    2 days ago

    What is this format? I can’t tell who is responding to whom.

    The white region in the middle looks like it was put there as a screen shot by the person who wrote the bounty hunter part, but then it looks like it is also supposed to be responding to that part, but there are no details on the bottom part about which accounts are talking or when.

    I guess it’s all just one person’s joke presented as if it’s a conversation. But why not put in minimal effort to make it look the tiniest bit real?

  • wizardbeard@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    7
    ·
    2 days ago

    Welcome to Nightvale (podcast) has a plot point like this. “The Librarians” are spoken of like they’re some sort of horrible creature that hunt down anyone who comes in, and most people never come back out.

  • Diplomjodler@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    4
    ·
    2 days ago

    Well if the librarians have a secret cabal of assassins at their service, now would be as good a time as any to get them to work on you-know-who.