[Michlib-l] Library of Things Policy

[Jean Fellows]

Our LOT is relatively compact, so returns and condition of returns hasn't
been a huge problem--EXCEPT for our hot spots and Chromebooks, which are
constantly out and on hold, and overdue from the same people.
Staff complains a lot,but we haven't implemented any real changes--except
to buy more hotspots, which also instantly go out for extended times. Is
yours largely tech items that go overdue?

On Fri, Sep 5, 2025 at 4:08 PM Wendy Chapman via Michlib-l <
michlib-l at mcls.org> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> We've had a Library of Things here for five years now.  I have spent the
> three years that I have been here tweaking the policy with our director as
> situations have dictated and find myself once again at a crossroads of what
> to do.
>
> We have a continuing issue of patrons returning items from the collection
> late.  Our current policy dictates that a patron may lose their privilege
> to check out items from the LoT once they have been late three times.  I
> give grace the first time they are late, so they really get four chances
> before we consider removing their privileges.  We do not specify within
> what timeframe those three late occurrences happen.
>
> So, as an example, we could have a patron that was late three times in
> 2022 and has been a model patron since then, but if they are late again
> this month they would lose their privilege per policy.  Also, as a fine
> free library we really do not want to add a monetary penalty to the
> policy.  We do send the patron to collections for the value of the item
> when it has been missing for a certain amount of time.  In extreme cases,
> when the collections action has not produced the item we do make police
> reports.
>
> Any thoughts out there as to how to modify the policy to make the
> repercussions more apparent?  What has worked for your libraries?  Or
> didn't work?
>
> Many thanks in advance!
>
> Wendy
>
> Wendy L. Chapman
> LoT & Seed Library Coordinator
> Buchanan District Library
> 269.695.3681  Ext. 16
> *www.buchananlibrary.org <http://www.buchananlibrary.org>*
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Michlib-l mailing list
> Michlib-l at mcls.org
> https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
>


-- 
Jean Fellows
Programming Coordinator
Grand Ledge Area District Library
131 E. Jefferson St.,
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
517-627-7014

 *MelCat & Mel Are at Risk!*

saveimls.org

A federal Executive Order may cut *all funding* for these essential library
services by Sept 2025.

 MelCat = 34 million items from 435 MI libraries
 Mel = free eBooks, magazines, research tools & more
 Small libraries like GLADL *depend* on them!
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail3.mcls.org/pipermail/michlib-l/attachments/20250908/2a91ebf9/attachment.html>