[OPLINLIST] Convenience fee for looking up a card number

Tue Jul 13 15:49:20 EDT 2010

Thanks for the plug, Jeff : )  This thread fits in with the webinar
perfectly.

Susan

Susan F. Corl
Head of Reference and Collection Services
Holmes County District Public Library
3102 Glen Dr.
Millersburg, OH  44654
330-674-5972 ext. 227

"Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of
an ignorant nation."
Walter Cronkite

On Tue, Jul 13, 2010 at 1:56 PM, Jeff Regensburger <
jregensburger at worthingtonlibraries.org> wrote:

> 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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