Re: [IUG] Article from New York Times on Overdue Fines and Credit Ratings

[Steve Sowder <sowder at andrews dot edu>]

We implemented Courtesy notices via email about two years or so ago.
We don't send Courtesy notices  for every item. Only for items that are 
checked out for longer than one week. The notice is sent three days 
before the item is due.

We had been sending the first notice via snail mail. It was printed on 
the third day after overdue. The patron would get the notice six or more 
days after it was due. Since our "grace period" is three days the notice 
always meant they owed us money.

We were already sending overdue notices by email.  We had  signs at the 
circulation desk stating that notices would be sent by email.
Andrews was already sending out "official" notices via email.

All of our students and faculty have a campus email. Those that prefer 
may go to a campus web page and have their campus email forwarded to 
another account such as hotmail, yahoo, etc. so that they can get the 
notices.

We changed the first notice to go out by email on the day after the item 
was due. In the notice was a note that the item might be renewed online. 
If they got on it and renewed before the end of the grace period there 
was no fine.

We had about a 75% drop in fines paid. We also discovered that our 
administration had budgeted for us to receive a certain amount in fines. 
It was "income" to them. That is no longer a budget item. We don't 
really care about the money, we just want the item returned. Emailing 
courtesy notices and the first notice helps the item to come back.

We have had thank you notes from people on trips out of town that got an 
email  notice and then renewed online and avoided a fine.

Steve
sowder at andrews dot edu

Seeman, Corey wrote:
> This is an interesting article that ran in the New York Time yesterday morning:
>  
> http://tinyurl.com/229mk6 <http://tinyurl.com/229mk6> 
>  
> New York Region
> Late Library Books Can Take Toll on Credit Scores
> By ANNE BARNARD and JO CRAVEN McGINTY
> Published: December 26, 2007
> The Queens Library system often flexes its muscles in collecting overdue books and late fees.
>  
> Much of the article revolves around Unique Management - a collection agency that partners with many Innovative customers.  Just some nice food for thought.  
>  
> The funny thing is that now that more and more libraries offer courtesy notices, I wonder if the amounts collected will go down.  That would be interesting for libraries that have these notices implemented to see if it has had an impact on dues collected.
>  
> Best for the holidays.
>  
> Corey
>  
>  
>  
>  
>  
> Corey Seeman
> Director
> Kresge Business Administration Library
> Ross School of Business
> The University of Michigan
> cseeman at umich dot edu
> (734) 764-9969
> (734) 717-9734 (cell)
> (734) 764-3839 (fax)
>  
> Kresge Library Home Page: http://www.bus.umich.edu/kresgelibrary/ <http://www.bus.umich.edu/kresgelibrary/> 
> My home page: http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cseeman/index.html <http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cseeman/index.html> 
>  
>  
>
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