Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Wood Green library book return problem
Does anyone have problem with books returned to wood green library recently?
I had returned 12 books back to the library since it reopened. But i was told that i still had 2 books on loan on my a/c.
I had spent three afternoon there tried to find those books that i pretty sure i have returned. I found one in the end at the library and they cleared it off from my a/c. But they insisted that if i couldn't find the other one, i must still have it at home somewhere. And i asked them then how come one of the book they said that i owned turns out sitting on their shelf and they just said that some times there's a system error.
Anyone have any advice what i can do with this book that they insisted that i have not return?
I've been there 3 afternoons this week trying to look for it on their shelf but i couldn't find it. All i have to prove is i actually had photograph it on my phone loading the books into my small suitcase before i return them to the library. But it doesn't really prove anything with just a photo on my phone.
I didn't get a return receipt to prove it since all the books returned to the library are just loading into a big bin by the entrance. What can i do now?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Anna on
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Thank you, Joane for your advice. I'll try and write to them. Hopefully, it will work.
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Permalink Reply by Alyson on
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Do you use the on-line system? You could check the catalogue to see if it shows up as ‘on shelf’ or ‘ due back ‘ (hoping there is only one copy of that book). Also check your own status and borrowing history to see if it is correct. Sorry if you’ve already tried that.
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Thank you, Alyson. Unfortunately, i don't have an online account. And i've asked the staff at the counter if they could kindly look up on their system, they will be able to find out the date that i had returned all 12 books. But they said that they cannot see it on their system. Instead, they demanded to know the date that i returned them which i only roughly remember was about the end of July which the staff said that is impossible because they aren't re-open at the time. Thanks for your advice though, maybe i'll try to open an online account and see if i can locate the 'missing' book.
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I think you may need a four-digit password (they usually offer this when giving you a library card) to get on line for the first time - if you can bear to visit again! However, anyone can look up the catalogue to see if a book is in stock. If you find the right entry, look at the bottom where it says 'Availability' eg 'Wood Green - due back on . . .' This should take you to the page. https://capitadiscovery.co.uk/haringey/
My experience with Wood Green is that the shelving is far from accurate, in fact last year when I went to find a particular book that was 'on shelf' according to the catalogue, I couldn't locate it in the correct place, discovered that the number sequence had gone wrong and had to re-arrange the whole shelf in order to find it! same thing when I looked for another book, in fact I spent half an hour re-homing stray books that people just shove back anywhere and go un-noticed - every time I put one in the correct place I would spot another misfit. Happily also found other interesting ones by chance!
I've been keeping track of my loans and opening times (3 different boroughs!) and I have a note from August 3rd that Wood Green was opening that week, so you may be slightly off with the date, really difficult unless you were keeping a diary, or maybe had a shopping receipt from that day to jog your memory.
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Thank you, Alyson. I've tried the link that you told me and it shows the book was on loan. And the due back date was the same date that i need to return it. I've been renewing this book a couple time (to avoid a fine from return it late) since the staff told me that it was still on loan in my account. I couldn't log in to check my borrowing record because it says the pin was incorrect. But i can't get a new pin number because i didn't have an email address when i apply for the library card years ago I might need to go up to the library and speak to the staff at the counter to see if they can sort out a new pin.
I agreed with you that sometimes the shelving is far from accurate. In fact, when i reported to the staff about the two missing book on my account, she had kindly come out of the counter and tried to find them. But she couldn't locate it because one of the book that i found in the end was actually not on the right shelf where it should be. That's very nice of you though to took your time to re-homing stray books. And i am glad that you found some interesting one by chance. That's what i found interesting about looking for books on the shelf in the library rather than looking for a particular book online. You never know what you might find.
Thanks for your updated opening time of the library. I did sort of lost track of the time when i returned the pile of books to the library. And i was surprised that the staffs expected me to remember the date that i return the books while i haven't got a receipt from them.
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Permalink Reply by Ivana Ćurčić on
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This is a painful story to read! As an ex-public librarian (in a different borough), I know how important it is to have the trust of patrons / readers / library users / customers... whatever the people who use the library are called. And vice versa. This is actually true for all types of libraries.
Anna, indeed it is a good idea, as Joane suggested, to put in writing what happened and address it to the Library Manager. This is a situation that requires such attention. It is as much a judgement call as it is a good move in customer service. To your advantage is that you actually found one of the books that were "missing". If you need to escalate it above the level of the Library Manager, you can do it, but in my experience all dealings with customers were sent to the Library Manager to sort.
It is a good idea to look up the copy online, as Alyson has suggested. It might have turned up and got scanned and therefore discharged from your account. Each copy of a book has an individual barcode (its' ID), while the call number on the spine is the book's "address". Keeping the books in the right place requires tidying up of the shelves regularly, which is done less and less frequently -- I do it in passing in the libraries I visit, my professional (de)formation.
I really hope that the book is found, or at least that justice prevails and trust is restored. Public libraries need supporters, people who enjoy using the libraries, without fear.
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Hi, Ivana,
It is such a pain that for whatever reason the books that i return would go missing like that. And it's up to me to spent quite a bit of time to try and find it. It's not the first time that happened. It happened to me twice at one of the Westminster library as well. Both time, i had to go all the way to Charing X library and luckily i did find the book on their shelf. They never quite explain to me why and how it happened. So i always use the self-service to return books in order to get a receipt to prove that i had returned it.
I will try both Joane and Alyson suggestions. Hopefully, it will get sort out in the end. Because at the moment, i had actually stopped borrowing books from the library which is a shame. I do appreciated and regularly use the library a lot and i am grateful that they remain open . But i do lost my confidence of how they ran it and find it hard to communicate with the staff at the counter who insisted that i am in the wrong and i'm lucky that i didn't get a fine so far for late returning because they had suspend the fine at the mean time which i found it quite insulting.
It seems a lot of hassle to try locate my missing book (which costs only £7.99) that it almost worth it to report it missing and pay for the fine. :(
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Hi Anna,
Ah so you are familiar with Westminster Libraries! I worked at St John's Wood Library 2012-2017 and at the Pimlico Library 2010-2012. Now I am an academic librarian, which currently means I work online to support students in their research and digital skills. But I enjoyed very much working with the general public. I followed the principle that the "customer is always right", or at least that I will do as much as I can so a person leaves the library happier than when they walked in. I was also a big proponent of not applying harsh fines -- in fact, there are now many library systems who have suspended fines and have not lost much financially, but gained more usage and happy library patrons (and library staff, who don't have to implement the fines).
Generally, when a book is missing, library staff look into every nook and cranny to make sure that the book is not misplaced; they also become quite good at establishing possible causes why the item was misplaced, or missing -- what the patterns are. If it turns out that an item was not properly checked-in (so the item stays on the patron's record and accumulates fines), it is good practice to go out of one's way that it does not happen again because it will create distrust with the patron (as in your case, unfortunately). You are right, however, to use the machines and get a receipt. Library staff themselves would also recommend it, especially when the library is open and they can step in.
It is too bad you have had some unpleasant experiences returning items in public libraries, but it seems you have a good sense how to best to use them. It is worth paying the fine for the item, but it is also important to make sure that good service is provided.
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Wow! Just had the same situation with Islington Central library - last month I returned two books (contact details and hand sanitiser at the door, pop the books in a box there) and took out three more. Checked my account today and found that the two items are still there and 'overdue' so I phoned and got a prompt and polite response, she checked the shelf and corrected the account, no fuss at all. Always had good service from that library.
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