The Face Eater aka Afro D. Shiaq ([info]sandimyth) wrote in [info]libraries,
@ 2004-10-12 19:19:00
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Current mood: pissed off

Unacceptable. That's all there is to it.
WHY, doesn't the New York Public Library have DROP BOXES for the books? That's just EVIL. How I am supposed to return my books after closing? On Sunday? Do they EXPECT me to pay the FINES that I could have and should have AVOIDED if only they had a freaking drop box!? WHY THE HECK ISN'T THERE ONE!!!?? The Brooklyn Library has one! WHY NOT THE MANHATTAN!?


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[info]rudbekia
2004-10-12 07:34 pm UTC (link)
I don't actually know the reason, but it wouldn't surprise me if the reasons were related to security and/or heading off vandalism.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-12 07:37 pm UTC (link)
That's just dumb, mail boxes seem to survive. They could do like the banks do with the ATMs, if you have a card you can access the lobby, you know what I'm talking about?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]aquila1nz, 2004-10-13 12:34 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 05:31 am UTC

[info]evilstoryteller
2004-10-12 07:46 pm UTC (link)
You could always renew them before the due date.
Or turn them in early.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:19 am UTC (link)
If the item has a gazillion holds on it it's not renewable I found out!

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[info]snale
2004-10-12 07:48 pm UTC (link)
I don't know the reason, but you might try asking the NYPL directly.

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[info]quodlibetic
2004-10-12 07:56 pm UTC (link)
My branch of the BPL doesn't have a drop box, either. They're not universally available in Brooklyn.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:20 am UTC (link)
The main one does though. See I went all the way to Midtown last night thinking the Mid Manhattan Library would have once since the Central Brooklyn Library did.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]hockeyophile
2004-10-12 08:17 pm UTC (link)
Which branch are you talking about? The Mid-Manhattan Library has one, although when I was there today to return some books, the dropbox was "out of order." How can a dropbox be out of order? It's not a machine. Geez.

But yeah, I agree that all branches should have dropboxes.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:21 am UTC (link)
It does? Where is it? I was walking all over the place last night trying to find it!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]hockeyophile, 2004-10-13 07:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:06 pm UTC

[info]simulacrum
2004-10-12 08:25 pm UTC (link)
I would have to agree, it's very inconvenient and I feel your frustration, but hopefully you can just renew books or return them earlier. It does make it harder if you work the kinds of hours that don't permit you to get to the library when it's open. Can you return books to other branches?

One thing I remember, from having worked at the SF public library as a page, was that the bookdrop was often a source of all kinds of unpleasantness. Once, someone actually smeared the inside of the bookdrop with fecal matter. I don't know if it was human or animal, but it was gross and tons of books were ruined. They had to call the main library to have a sanitation crew come out with haz mat containers. Maybe your library branch is just being extremely cautious.

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[info]hockeyophile
2004-10-12 08:27 pm UTC (link)
Wow, that is disgusting! You know, you actually brought up a good poing about why dropboxes may not be so great after all...

(Reply to this) (Parent)
no feces, but almost as 'good':
[info]lara7
2004-10-12 11:27 pm UTC (link)
my library's bookdrop was vandalized by syrup. I can't remember if it was of the maple or chocolate variety, but it ruined tons of books and resulted in us locking the drops until the vandal was caught (love those security cameras!)

you still see notes on old patron records that say things like "removed fines- syrup" or "books returned - syrup" to indicate why it took us days/weeks to check in the damaged materials and comment EVERYONEs account that was effected.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
random bit of silver lining - [info]simulacrum, 2004-10-13 12:07 am UTC
Re: no feces, but almost as 'good': - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 05:27 am UTC

[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:24 am UTC (link)
Why would someone do that? WHY ARE PEOPLE SO SICK? I mean, not only is that gross, it's just pointless. I figured it was because of what people would do to it, but like I said, they could do teh ATM thing so that you can access the book drop with your library card. I'm assuming a patron would have no part in vadalizing the drop box...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]simulacrum, 2004-10-13 08:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]ekajati, 2004-10-13 12:25 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:09 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]simulacrum, 2004-10-13 01:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:38 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ginbronz, 2004-10-15 03:21 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 01:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:44 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 01:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 05:16 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 06:05 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 06:32 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]ginbronz, 2004-10-15 03:22 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-15 11:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 10:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:14 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 01:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 06:09 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 06:34 pm UTC

[info]ahtei_eneogei
2004-10-13 06:06 am UTC (link)
A library in the system I work in once had a Harry Potter book returned with a cube of the pages razored out on the inside, wherein a rather copious amount of dog fecal matter was placed...pretty bad, as they didn't know until the book was opened...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 07:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]curmudgeony, 2004-10-13 10:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]simulacrum, 2004-10-14 09:45 am UTC
Things that have happened. - [info]kju, 2004-10-13 10:25 pm UTC

[info]jezebelee
2004-10-12 09:01 pm UTC (link)
I assume they have a good reason for it.

Libraries don't get off on inconviencing people for the hell of it.

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[info]sckot
2004-10-12 09:57 pm UTC (link)
Perhaps they got sick of people dumping jars of pickles or snow down it, like at the branch where I work.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:26 am UTC (link)
Why are people so INCONSIDERATE of librarians!? WHO ARE THESE FREAKS!? It has to be kids and mental homeless and/or drunk people.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]sckot, 2004-10-13 07:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:07 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 10:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 01:16 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pravda, 2004-10-13 01:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]daven_callings, 2004-10-14 10:34 pm UTC

[info]molkovia04
2004-10-13 03:24 am UTC (link)
They're too posh. Having a book box would ruin the architecture ;o)

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 05:32 am UTC (link)
There's this one....I don't think anyone even goes there it's so creepy. It's next to a mental hospital, RIGHT NEXT DOOR, so I can understand why they wouldn't have one...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]molkovia04, 2004-10-13 05:49 am UTC

[info]damuddymeg
2004-10-13 07:09 am UTC (link)
We've had cigarette butts thrown in ours. I'm knocking on all available wooden surfaces at the moment, trying not to tempt fate here, but I'm sort of surprised we haven't had worse.

We do have a chemical fire extinguishing system hooked up in our drop, but clean-up is a real pain (especially if someone leaves the door from the drop into Tech Services open, which has happened). *more knocking on wood*

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[info]luzclarita
2004-10-13 08:18 am UTC (link)
I think that all of the reasons above are probably why they library doesn't have a book drop. It may be, however, that no one has considered the possible bind that you entered into with a non-renewable item. You should let someone on staff there know about your frustration. They might be willing to forgive your fine (or not), but I'm sure they'd be interested. It's sure that if you're having this problem (no book drop, no renewal), then someone else is too.

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[info]wyvernfriend
2004-10-13 09:25 am UTC (link)
I work in Dublin Ireland and they removed drop boxes in a lot of branches for many of the reasons listed above and because (particularly at this time of the year) people shoved fireworks into them as well. People used the drop boxes as litter boxes as well, the replacement costs made it uneconomical.

Most places don't use the day fines for days they're not open. Also the books won't be discharged until the next day normally.

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Mixed Feelings
[info]roecampy
2004-10-13 10:17 am UTC (link)
I live in florida, and we have drop boxes in all library's. But I took out 15 tapes for a trip to ny and returned them in the drop box and they claimed they never got them...now they want me to pay 58 dollars!!!! Never will I use those drop boxes again!!!

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: Mixed Feelings
[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 01:11 pm UTC (link)
The library I worked at was in FL. The books and other materials get warped by the heat. It's freaky.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
Re: Mixed Feelings - [info]roecampy, 2004-10-14 02:40 am UTC
Re: Mixed Feelings - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-14 09:40 am UTC
Re: Mixed Feelings - [info]roecampy, 2004-10-21 10:55 am UTC

[info]rock_n_read
2004-10-13 11:23 am UTC (link)
In addition to the fecal, etc stories, people have vomited, used it to throw away their food, etc in my bookdrop.

And, if the bookdrop is full, people will put their books OUTSIDE the bookdrop then bitch at you when someone steals it from outside, that its all our fault it was full and how unfair and I demand to not have to pay for that item. That is expensive and annoying to have to order replacements. And like roecampy says, sometimes things that people say they returned in a bookdrop never get checked in-most likely because the book fell outside of the drop area onto the floor, or someone stole books out of the book drop. I wouldn't use a bookdrop becuase I've listened to too many complaints like this, and don't want to take that risk.

Also, from a preservation standpoint...have you seen the state of books that have been thrown into a bookdrop? The bindings get weaker, the pages get crumpled or ripped because they fell open and new things have fallen on top of them...its very expensive to fix even simple binding problems b/c you hvae to have the staff, pay for the materials etc. While a bookdrop is most convenient for patrons, after working with one for far too long, I can see why somewhere like the NYPL may not have one at every branch.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 01:17 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, the CDs get really banged up, too.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]mimo808, 2004-10-13 02:35 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]sandimyth, 2004-10-13 05:17 pm UTC
Amen! - [info]roecampy, 2004-10-14 02:43 am UTC

[info]ekajati
2004-10-13 12:30 pm UTC (link)
What sucks furthermore about the NYPL(at least the Bloomingdale branch, which is semi-ghetto) is not only do they not have a drop box but once you're in the library to return a book you have to stand in (or on, in NYese) line to turn the book in, the same as if you're checking it out. It is for these reasons(and many others) that I don't go to the PL much since moving to NYC from Honolulu. The Hawai'i public library system ROCKS.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 01:21 pm UTC (link)
I hate it when they get all suspicious of ME because I may accidently have left one of my overdue books at home when there's some creep behind me probably waiting to check out the closest thing to soft core porno from the Biology section.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]mimo808, 2004-10-13 02:33 pm UTC

[info]zardra
2004-10-13 12:37 pm UTC (link)
Some libraries have to make the decision to either expose their books to possible harm (damage from being shoved in a box with other books thrown in on top or from any number of things that people are want to throw into a drop book) so that they can continue to offer those books to their patrons or to possibily upset a few patrons like yourself. Fixing an upset patrons issues can be handled more easily than constantly fixing or replacing books, which can also end up costing the library a good deal of money. It's a library policy... I don't think I'd call it evil just because it's not available to meet your every whim.

I'm sorry you were inconvenienced... perhaps if you talk to someone at the library they could reassess your situation, or you could pay the fine and remember to check the renewablility of your items sooner next time.

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[info]sandimyth
2004-10-13 01:22 pm UTC (link)
Actually, I think they took the fine away! :D Oh happiness! This means I'm not the only one who's had this problem.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]nycshelly
2004-10-13 07:26 pm UTC (link)
Speaking as a NYPL librarian for the past 23 years, I've heard many horror stories about drop boxes at NYPL back in the day and elsewhere. Along with fecal matter, people have urinated in them. Firecrackers are also popular forms of vandalism.

Yes, there is currently one in the lobby area of Mid-Manhattan Library and if it's out of order, I would imagine it's because it needs a cleaning, tho I haven't spoken to anyone from that branch recently, so can't say for sure. Maybe the hinges broke or something, but I would think there was a mess inside.

And I would think that if you were able to get into a library to borrow the book, you might have been able to get back into one (there are nearly 90 branches in NYPL in Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island) within the borrowing period. And if there were no reserves, you could have called in the renewal (I don't have the phone number here at home).

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