Dear Tori,
1. How often do you send overdue notices and in what format (email, physical letter, text message, etc.)?
At Amherst our faculty (and staff) get 1-year loans that we auto-renew so they only hear from us by automated recall emails when another patron needs a book or the library needs something for reserve. We have generous loan periods and minimal contact to maximize the response when we do reach out. We obviously have our folks who have satellite libraries in their offices, but honestly, all the books would likely not fit back on the shelves if they returned them all at once anyway.
2. How do you hold faculty accountable for overdue or lost items when they leave the institution?
We do not get advance notice of departures so it is really a mixed bag. We attempt regular email communication to see if a forwarding email is provided or an alternative contact in the department. That is labor intensive but does work to some extent. Retiring faculty and staff retain borrowing privileges so this is typically only an issue with visiting faculty and staff who resign.
Best,
Susan
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Susan J. Kimball
Head of Access Services
Amherst College Library
Amherst, MA 01002
413-542-2663
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Original Message:
Sent: 7/6/2021 2:29:00 PM
From: Victoria Lieggi
Subject: Faculty Borrowing
Hello everyone,
We are in the process of reviewing our borrowing policies for faculty, and specifically looking at how to improve the number of responses when completing inventory each year. Would you be able to share your borrowing policies for faculty? All information is appreciated. It would also be helpful if you could answer a couple of specific questions below:
- How often do you send overdue notices and in what format (email, physical letter, text message, etc.)?
- How do you hold faculty accountable for overdue or lost items when they leave the institution?
Thank you,
Tori
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Victoria Lieggi
Instructional Services Librarian and Coordinator of Access Services
Lycoming College
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