University Library Fines

j-baby-scotland

In answer to your question...

In my opinion NO.
I attended Glasgow Uni., which had for a time the largest library in Europe, yet many books were in such short supply & high demand that they were loaned out 'hourly' to enable access to as many students as possible.

I paid a maximum fine gladly when I didn't return a book within the hour as I was not able to due to my personal circumstances. Where that money was spent could be questionable, but I think to compare this like for like with 'punative' bank charges is not valid.

juno

The thing is, banks "create" money by giving overdrafts, so if you go over it then no one is physically losing out as a result except the bank. But by keeping a book too long, you've prevented others from having it as there is a finite number of books in the libraries possession.

Karnam

and if you really want to compare to the bank charges situation, the OFT has stated that the maximum bank charge should be £15.

there are loads of people who believe this is still unfair on bank charges.

and if you are talking of contracts, unfortunately it's probably linked to your university 'contract'. at my university if you have outstanding money to the uni, in tuition fees, libaray fines or anytihng, your results are ont released to you. therefore its probably within this contract, however speaking strictly hypothetically, if it was up to a judge, you'd be faced with the argument that your fines where daily, and that the inconvience to the libaray of having resources removed was a daily inconvience and therefore can justify a daily fine. at £2.50 a day it would be reasonable.

ive been charged by halifax £2.50 and i have not put this on my claim as it is a reasonable amount of money.

in any case i think it is warped and unhelpful to compare banking charges to library charges. £38 for not allowing enough time for a cheque to go through is NOT comparitive to £2.50 fines which you have probably accumulated, rather than been hit with in one day.

when it comes down to it you have no choice but to pay. if you dont its likely you wont be able to borrow books, at my uni you dont get your results, and you may be temporarily taken off the register over a measley £10. i mean its not like you would go to the small claims court would you for £10?

[Deleted User]

I was at Liverpool Uni, and I remember in our final year being told that if we had outstanding library fines we would not graduate. How's that as an incentive to pay back 10 quid?

Hehe, I did manage to avoid paying a 100 pound fine (for 'mucking about' - it's a long story) but it took me a year of letter writing and a visit to a solicitors.

jr666

Are the fines enforceble?? YES!

When you signed up to attend uni or get your library card you must have signed something to the order of agreeing to pay such fines as the university feels appropriate to charge for late books etc...

Also the banks have something called 'the banking code' which agrees that fines should cover admin and nothing more. Unfortunatly for you there is nothing similar called 'the library code'. Bite the bullet pay the fine and move on, just put it down as a lesson. To be honest you arent taking it very well, move on.

proplusplus

ok, cheers.

to be hnoest i was expecting that at the end of the day i'd have to shell out the £10.

birmingham uni has the same policy of unpaid fines = no degree release.

thanks to you all - it's cleared the story up for me - am now convinced

proplusplus

kar

You could get a friend to take them to the desk with their library card to 'take out'

when it flashes up that they are already out - they just say that they found them on the shelf so they must have been returned.

And hey bingo your fine gets taken off as someone in the library didn't 'check them in' properly.

Worked for someone i know at my uni

Jersy

do u not know any of the librarians?

in my place there is 2 women who r usually on, one is really nice and will not mention it, and another is an awl boot who will try and get every penny out of u

girders

As Ringo said above - lots of Universities will not allow you to graduate with any library fines or halls fees outstanding - don't mess with the library!

rharper83

I second that girders! I too owe Birmingham Uni library money from fines (the only time I've been into the library since I started too!! oops!), and should remember to pay before my finals!