[Jake.]

Yeah, I get what you mean, it'll be more disappointing for you if you have to settle with film.. I hope that it gets sorted in some way or another for you

[Z]

It probably won't, and I'll die alone because of the useless degree I'll have had foisted upon me by stupid bureaucracy


also I'll die alone because I'm an awful human being, but that's another issue entirely

[Jake.]

haha, in no way are you an awful human being!

[Z]

Jake I clearly am, you don't get punished with a forehead like mine if you didn't at least mass murder a few hundred people in a previous life

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Zee

Jake I clearly am, you don't get punished with a forehead like mine if you didn't at least mass murder a few hundred people in a previous life

Brilliant, I have a big forehead as well so don't panic, we can murder people together or something

[Z]

You could probably write the entire Bible on my forehead

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Zee

You could probably write the entire Bible on my forehead

You can have the old, I'll have the new then

[Z]

Preach it sister

[Z]

That's me just received another automated email from the library asking for another book back by the 3rd of August, so they've not even given me a week's notice this time... ****ing fuming!!!

[Ammi]

..I've just read your OP, I missed this...no this doesn't seem fair but now that you have another email, I would turn this back on them and explain that because you were originally told you could have them until September, it's now going to cause you expense which you don't have, so you'll return them if they compensate your costs up front but that will be the only way that it's possible...they have to then respond to that, which will at least give you more time to take what you need and what you can from the books..I would also say that as you need them for your studies..(which is why you took them out..)..you need a date when they will return them to you because they have gone back on what you were originally told, so they have to arrange for you to have access to them, which suits your needs...

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by Zee

That's me just received another automated email from the library asking for another book back by the 3rd of August, so they've not even given me a week's notice this time... ****ing fuming!!!

Wow, that's a right mick take Greg, I don't blame you fot being mad.. Urgh that's really awful

[Z]

Literally only posted the first one the other day! The woman said that I would have to cover the costs and she implored me to prioritise someone else getting access to the book and said that they could file a request for me to have them immediately afterwards, but I said there was no point because they're not prepared to pay any postage on my behalf so they're not going to send them up to Aberdeen for me so I just said I'd return all the other books on the 14th of August when I'm down to sit an exam I missed on the 15th... this could happen any number of times before the 14th of August, I'm so annoyed and there's nothing I can do about it. Gonna have to go home at lunch and get the book, take it to the post office and pay for recorded delivery once again... so angry!

[Ammi]

..awww, Zee..I'm really sorry, this is so unfair but honestly, I would refuse to do it unless they compensate you first because these costs are theirs and not yours and they know that, you have something in writing to say you can keep the books until September and there's nothing they can do about that but they're playing on your conscience to let someone else have them...if they want them, then they have to cover the costs for them or arrange for that other person to get them in another way....

EDIT:..if it was me, I wouldn't send them, I'd email them back and not be angry but put it all back on them to solve this because honestly, you can't afford this, it's completely unreasonable...

[jackc1806]

Greg that is so unfair! If you have been loaned it for summer you should be able to keep it until then. The library should order the book from another for the other guy or if they guy was so concerned he could buy it off eBay

[Z]

Yeah I might send them another email with this latest automated message and ask if they could compensate me for all this postage... because once was annoying but fair enough, but for all I know I could post this book today and then get another email tomorrow about another book... I wish I'd just never bothered now, knowing my luck the book I started reading first will be recalled next and even if I had taken just that one home I'd have had to send it back... so angry!

[Ellen]

Did you not find the receipts?

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Zee

Yeah I might send them another email with this latest automated message and ask if they could compensate me for all this postage... because once was annoying but fair enough, but for all I know I could post this book today and then get another email tomorrow about another book... I wish I'd just never bothered now, knowing my luck the book I started reading first will be recalled next and even if I had taken just that one home I'd have had to send it back... so angry!

..you see, that's the other reason why you should put this back on them Zee...this could just be an automated email where they haven't looked at what was agreed with you and you're going to this expense when it could all be a mistake with their system...

[Z]

Originally Posted by Ellen

Did you not find the receipts?

I have them safe at home but the lady who replied referred me to the University's policy regarding the recall of library books and unfortunately they have covered themselves - however I think it's unfair that I'm expected to pay for the postage. They still haven't received the first book despite me sending it days ago; so I've said in my latest email to them that I don't think this second book will even reach them in time and that would mean not only am I paying postage but I'd have to pay a fine too! Ridiculous!

[Ellen]

Originally Posted by Zee

I have them safe at home but the lady who replied referred me to the University's policy regarding the recall of library books and unfortunately they have covered themselves - however I think it's unfair that I'm expected to pay for the postage. They still haven't received the first book despite me sending it days ago; so I've said in my latest email to them that I don't think this second book will even reach them in time and that would mean not only am I paying postage but I'd have to pay a fine too! Ridiculous!

Its a shame the uni library didnt point out the policy to you when you took them out for the summer, they must know that some travel back home for the summer break.
Hopefully you have a receipt for proof of postage on the books you have sent, it should show you posted them in plenty of time so i would refuse to pay any fine on them, not your fault if the post is slow.
I agree that if they want the books back they should pay for the postage and personally i would not post any more. There is no point if you have to pay for postage then get a fine!

[Z]

Originally Posted by Ellen

Its a shame the uni library didnt point out the policy to you when you took them out for the summer, they must know that some travel back home for the summer break.
Hopefully you have a receipt for proof of postage on the books you have sent, it should show you posted them in plenty of time so i would refuse to pay any fine on them, not your fault if the post is slow.
I agree that if they want the books back they should pay for the postage and personally i would not post any more. There is no point if you have to pay for postage then get a fine!

Yeah I'm gonna keep all the receipts together and scan them all and send them to the library if they insist on any more charges! So fuming!!

[DanaC]

That's pretty a pretty crappy deal, kid.

Couple of thoughts:

Firstly, however unfair this is, I would advise against withholding fines. Most universities (the one I study and teach at has this policy) withhold graduation from students who have ongoing library fines. Check your institutions's policies, at ours it is plastered all over the web portal come graduation season that all fines must be cleared before a student will be allowed to graduate.

Secondly, I would advise that you talk to to your personal tutor (I assume you have one?) and if it's a different person, I'd also suggest maybe contacting your dissertation tutor. Explain what has happened, and how it will impact on you. Explain that you understand the library policy, but nevertheless you feel you have been placed in an unfair and damaging position and that it is very demoralising. Ask them if there is anything they can suggest to sort this situation out in such a way as to avoid you having to spend your very small amount of student finance on additional cross-country trips or excessive library fines.


If they're worth their salt in terms of pastoral care they will attempt to help you resolve the situation in some way. Not saying they'll definitely succeed in that, but they should at least try. It's possible they may be able to get some kind of funding arranged for you to cover the cost of returning the books (depends on how your university runs things obviously)

It may also be possible to put some sort of block on return requests for the remaining books.

Try to avoid sounding angry or combative. Seek their advice and enlist their help. Don't try to suggest that you have been 'misled' by the September return date, as most university libraries put information on their borrowing practices, including the possibility of recalls quite prominently on their webpages and on notices in the library itself. Cop to the fact you were confused by the return date, and that this has put you in a very difficult position.

[Z]

Thanks for all the advice DanaC I've tried to be very polite in my correspondence with them so hopefully they'll concede on something to either reduce the costs or pay me back for the expense... I think the library fines rule applies at my university too with regards to graduation but if I am fined then I'd pay that back immediately in September when I return...

I just don't understand why they would allow "summer loans" if they're subject to the same recall rules as normal library books - considering that you can submit renewal requests on a normal loan so you could feasibly have a library book out for just as long as a summer loan during term time, providing no one else requests that book. I know that I would never have taken any books home with me if they were under a normal loan because I knew I was going home for over 2 months.