[Z]

I took out a lot of summer reading for my dissertation (I'm at uni in Glasgow, I live up in the north east of Scotland when I'm not at uni) and took it home with me. The uni's website says you're not allowed to leave the country with library books but no mention of leaving the city with it so I figured that was fine. I checked them out of the library in June and got told I could have them until the middle of September, with receipts proving as much. Brilliant news - I then took out lots of other books because why not take advantage of how long I can have them for; and took them all home.

I got an email this morning from the library saying that someone else had requested one of the books and I had to return it by the end of July. Now, don't get me wrong, I have been on the other end of this, needing a book that someone's taken out of the library and not being able to access it for an important essay or some revision; but how is it fair that the library can tell me a date in September and then bring it forward by six weeks?! I am not making a 7 hour round trip at a weekend just to return a bloody library book; they don't have a postal return service and I am absolutely not paying a fine when they told me I could have it until September and have changed their minds all of a sudden. They shouldn't let people have extended summer loans if they're going to issue "no you must return this now" notices at the drop of a hat. So I've emailed the library in a bit of a rage asking for some advice on what to do because I think it was just an automated message but it's so bloody annoying - because there's no guarantee this is going to be the only one. Even if I go down before the end of July to return this, there's every chance the same day someone's going to request another book that will have to be back in August. I'm not back at uni until September and I can't afford to take time off work just to go and take a book back, and I'm not spending £30 minimum on transport just to do that. Fuming!!

[Raph]

Yeah I understand your point Greg. Surely though, the other person can find a way of finding the book in some other library? Also, alternatively, if he desperately needed the book, he could pay the shipping fee? At least that way you wouldn't have to bother with the trip or the expenses. But I agree, it's unfair considering they said you were permitted to keep the book until September. The library can't just change expectations like that because who know's, for all they know, you might be using the book for a big project too.

[Z]

Yeah like I know I'm just mad because it's inconvenient to me; but the library really shouldn't say people can have books for an extended period of time if they're going to turn around and change the date like that. It'd be one thing if they said "a person has requested this book, can you please return it as soon as possible" but they've said in the email that I must return it by 30/7 or I will be fined. That's not fair in my opinion. Waiting for a reply...

[Roy Mars III]

isn't there a system were a library can request a book from another library and the other library will send it to the library that requested it. I would think that the library could just do that. It is unfair for the library to say you can have a book for a certain amount of time and then just cut the time short because someone wants the book.

[billy123]

I it digitized at all? if so just download it from somewhere.
If not what are the fines it might be worth paying them to keep it.

[Z]

Not that I know of bobnot, though I just took out heaps of books because they were all related to what I want to write my dissertation about so I haven't looked into whether or not they've been digitised. Good suggestion though, I'll look that up when I get home

[Marc]

Just send a package in the mail, but have a dead hamster in it instead of the book.

That one always got me out of silly situations like this.

[Z]

That'd teach them eh...

I'm so fuming. It'd be cheaper to just take the fine but I don't want to be fined! I shouldn't be fined!

[MTVN]

I would refuse to pay the fine or return it if you have the proof that you were issued it till September, could always just be a system error as well though

[Z]

I'm pretty certain I still have the receipts because I was so surprised they said September on them that I kept them inside the books; but my mum then moved all the books out of the boxes I'd packed them up in so I'm praying she hasn't thrown them out if the receipts have fallen out of the books.

[arista]

Poor Zee Being Picked On
Again

[Z]

Originally Posted by arista

Poor Zee Being Picked On
Again

It never ends arista

[Ellen]

If you find your receipts & they do state sept dont send the book back & dont pay the fine.
You need the book & the library should have a system in place of borrowing from another library if a book has been signed out.
Not your fault if the library has cocked up.

[Niamh.]

I'm sure if you explain the situation they'll be fine about it, especially if you're out of Glasgow now and they told you you could keep them till September. I'm sure the library staff don't care that much anyway

[Josy]

They can't fine you if you have the receipt saying it's not to be returned until September.

[Z]

Got a reply from the library basically telling me to get lost and get it back to them ASAP. Utter bull****. Gonna have to try and read the book tonight and tomorrow; type up notes and then post it down. But this could happen 27 more times before I'm back at uni; I took 28 out of the library over summer! Ugh.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Zee

Got a reply from the library basically telling me to get lost and get it back to them ASAP. Utter bull****. Gonna have to try and read the book tonight and tomorrow; type up notes and then post it down. But this could happen 27 more times before I'm back at uni; I took 28 out of the library over summer! Ugh.

That's bad form out of them Zee

[Ellen]

Sorry but if you have the receipts that prove you can have them tell the library that they will have to pay for the postage & packing or you will bring them back in sept. End of.

[Niamh.]

Originally Posted by Ellen

Sorry but if you have the receipts that prove you can have them tell the library that they will have to pay for the postage & packing or you will bring them back in sept. End of.

Yeah, true

[Kizzy]

Delete the email pretend it never existed and enjoy your summer

[Z]

I am just about ready to quit uni in a rage.

So now not only do I have to send this library book back at my own expense via recorded delivery (am I **** taking chances with posting it in the regular Royal Mail service - they've lost important mail of mine before) but I emailed the languages secretary about my courses next year and she's informed me that I've been placed on a course I didn't want to do because of the way I chose courses last year! I'll try and explain...

Academic year 2012/13 under the German half of my degree I had to pick two options courses
Academic year 2013/14 under the German half of my degree I have to pick one option course

So that makes three option courses in total over the two years. Two of these have to be German-specific courses. There are three German lecturers, so there are only three German courses on offer each year. Last year the options were Weimar poetry (lecturer 1), Faust (lecturer 2) and Vampires (lecturer 3) - I chose Faust and Vampires last year, so that this year I could pick anything I wanted (e.g. I wanted to study beginners Russian this year because it ties in nicely with my dissertation)

I've since been informed that the Vampires course didn't count as a German option because it's considered Comparative Literature and it was open to all Modern Languages students. All three of the German lecturers' courses were open to all Modern Languages students. The way it was explained to us was that if you picked two courses taught by your German lecturers, that would count as your two German options. They don't put on German specific courses because a small number of people study it and there are only three lecturers, so of course the options are broad and open to anyone.

So now I've been placed on the German Film course, run by the same lecturer who ran the Vampires course. I'm so pissed off. I'm sure I'd enjoy the German Film course and I really like that lecturer, but I was really looking forward to studying Russian and as per usual, stupid uni bureaucracy decided by someone who likes stupid rules is telling me that no, I must study a German option this year, despite studying two bloody German options last year! ARGH!

[Jake.]

Ah Zee! about the first bit, that's crazy how they can just demand it back.. you'd think it's follow a 'first come, first served' system, so that's shocking that they're making you send it back to them... and that's even worse about your course, seems like you're being mucked about a bit to me

[Z]

Like I get that it's library policy to have a recall system in place, I totally understand that and it's just unfortunate that this has occurred and ultimately it's my 'fault' for taking the books up to Aberdeen... but at the same time, they shouldn't give people lengthy summer loans if they're able to recall them with only a week's notice. I wouldn't have taken any books home if I'd had a regular loan period (usually 4-6 weeks I think) because I knew I was coming home, and I can't risk this happening another 27 times before I go back to uni!

As for the course... I know right? I emailed her back but she's not replied yet. She's really helpful at least and I'm gonna see if I can press it and get someone to say it's okay for me to study Russian because I don't see why this has to be such a big deal?!

[Jake.]

That system that they've decided to use is just awful, they can't just expect people to be making trips back to uni every two weeks to give back books for others. You was that concerned and dedicated with your courses that you got there quickly and got what you needed, why should you be punished?

And hopefully then she sorts something out for you Greg as it seems pretty pointless not letting you do your selected course

[Z]

She copied the Vampires lecturer in to her email reply which I only just noticed, should really have included her in my reply but I didn't realise... I mean I'm not going to be annoyed if I'm studying German Film but I really wanted to pick up Russian this year because it's such a useful language to know and I really enjoyed it when I studied it before