[OPLINLIST] Convenience fee for looking up a card number

Tue Jul 13 13:56:29 EDT 2010

I agree with Nancy and Chauncey. The fewer barriers to access we can provide, the better.

...and while we're on the subject, can I make a plug for an OLC Intellectual Freedom Webinar coming up on July 22nd? :) It's called "The Accessibility Temperature of Your Library" and covers issues similar to this.

Here's the description:

"We are often so busy with daily operations that we do not take the time to determine the true accessibility of our libraries. This presentation will cover the physical, intellectual and cultural accessibility of your library. A checklist is provided to help you assess and improve the overall accessibility of your library."

More info here:

http://www.olc.org/WorkshopDescription.asp?ID=488

Best,

Jeff Regensburger
Lead Librarian

Find yourself here. 
www.worthingtonlibraries.org

820 High Street
Worthington, Ohio 43085
614.807.2621
614.807.2642 fax

2007 National Library of the Year   |   www.worthingtonlibraries.org/libraryoftheyear

-----Original Message-----
From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org] On Behalf Of Nancy Levin
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 11:34 AM
To: Chauncey Montgomery; oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] Convenience fee for looking up a card number

We provide a guest pass and do not ask why one would need one,
convenience, no card, is a child without a card, whatever. We don't
charge fees for our services. Period. 
Nancy Levin 
Nancy S. Levin
Director 
Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
2345 Lee Road, Cleveland Heights, Ohio 44118
216-932-3600 ext. 240
nlevin at heightslibrary.org              www.heightslibrary.org

-----Original Message-----
From: oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org [mailto:oplinlist-bounces at oplin.org]
On Behalf Of Chauncey Montgomery
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2010 10:45 AM
To: oplinlist at oplin.org
Subject: Re: [OPLINLIST] Convenience fee for looking up a card number

>From the user's standpoint, requiring patrons to use their account
numbers to access the Internet is an inconvenience.  I understand that
we may need to use software to manage public computer use, but we must
remember that the PC management software is an obstacle to accessing
information.  Then, to charge a fee if the user doesn't have his card
would only create another barrier.  I would be wary of doing so and
consider how we would feel as a customer, if we were charged a fee to
look up our account number.

Just a side note, a local bank now charges customers a fee for looking
up account balances.  I can only guess that the bank instituted the fee
to generate more money or to dissuade individuals from asking for their
balance.  In either case, I see no benefit to the customer in charging
such a fee, and this policy reveals that the bank isn't really
interested in the needs of its customers.

We should be constantly trying to improve the user's experience;
therefore, we always need to consider the impact of our policies and
procedures.

Hope this helps,
Chauncey

Chauncey G. Montgomery, MLIS
Director/Fiscal Officer
Community Library
Sunbury, Ohio
740-965-3901
montgoc1 at oplin.org

On 07/13/2010 10:02 AM, Joanne Gilmore wrote:
> Our public can access the internet by logging in with their Library
card
> number.  Many of our customers do not carry their cards with them. 
> 
>  
> 
> I would be interested in knowing how anyone else handles this
> situation.  Do you not look up cards at all?  Do you just consider it
> part of your service and look it up repeatedly for people? 
> 
>  
> 
> We are thinking about implementing a small "convenience" fee for
looking
> up and writing down a patron card number for those who want to use the
> internet.  Does any other library have a fee for this?  What amount do
> you charge?  The first "lookup" would be free then the charge would be
> effective; it would be tracked by a note in the patron record.  We
would
> not charge for pulling up a patron record to check out, only for
writing
> the number down for them.  Your thoughts  and reactions would be
> appreciated.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Joanne R. Gilmore
> 
> Director
> 
> Upper Sandusky Community Library
> 
> 301 N. Sandusky Ave.
> 
> Upper Sandusky, OH 43351
> 
> 419-294-1345 (voice)
> 
> 419-294-4499 (fax)
> 
> gilmorjo at oplin.org
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
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