Librarians not a Speedy Bunch

This insurance analysis about speeding and accidents from MarketWire shows that librarians are at the bottom of the lead-foot rankings, sandwiched between Law Enforcement and Homemakers on a list of occupations who are most and least ticketed for speeding violation. Don’t ask us about our overdues, though.

November 11, 2003 by rochelle Uncategorized 6

mcbride says:

November 11, 2003 at 10:27 pm

Overdues?
Or maybe librarians are just good at getting out of potential tickets?

> Don’t ask us about our overdues, though.

Isn’t there a code among librarians that overdues for other libarians ‘magically’ disappear? I think it’s called the Reference Area of Silence (akin to the Blue Wall of Silence in law enforcement).

Reply
Anonymous says:

November 11, 2003 at 10:33 pm

Is there?
“Isn’t there a code among librarians that overdues for other libarians ‘magically’ disappear”

Is there?? If there is one in Buffalo, someone REALLY needs to give them my name, they are going to be able to name a wing of the new library after me soon.
Am I the only librarian unable to return his books on time? And don’t even ask me about movies from Blockbuster, I just cut up my card.

Reply
April says:

November 11, 2003 at 10:42 pm

Re:Is there?
Actually, I was completely shocked to find out that not all libraries automatically exempt employees from having fines. Mine does!

And I personally don’t have trouble getting things in on time, but it does seem like the majority of my librarian friends have trouble with that.

Reply
mcbride says:

November 11, 2003 at 11:14 pm

Re:Is there?
Maybe it should be part of the ‘secret code’, just like the handshake and secret greeting. Flash your librarian badge, they look the other way.

Actually I’m surprised that there would be a formal policy to exempt employees from fines. I could see it being an unspoken rule, though.

Reply
Anonymous Patron says:

November 12, 2003 at 12:14 am

Re:Is there?
There is a policy at the library where I work at that neither the full-time staff, faculty, or librarians will incur fines except for lost or damaged books. It’s part of our benefits package.
We also get free blood through a blood assurance program if we are ever in need. I have never heard of any other employer offering that before I started working here. Thankfully, I have never had to use that.

Reply
SpinsterLibrarian says:

November 12, 2003 at 10:42 pm

Fine immunity
At the last public library that I was working at employees were exempt from fines. For some of us, this was a very valuable benefit.

At the residence hall library that I’m running right now, student workers occasionally backdate their overdue items. Now, if their DVD is due tomorrow, but they don’t work until the next day, that’s the kind of thing that I will look the other way on. However, when they check out twice the number of allowed DVDs and then keep them out a week overdue…we’re going to have a little talk.

Reply