Library May Get Tougher About Overdue Books

Los Angeles City Librarian Susan Kent defended the library’s passive approach to tracking down scofflaws who keep long-overdue materials, but told the library board Thursday it may soon become more aggressive and hire a collections agency.

But rather than concentrate on collecting fines from the most egregious offenders--some of whom owe $1,000 to $2,000--the new collections agency should instead focus on recovering long-overdue books and materials, Kent said.

Kent assured the Board of Library Commissioners that the library has not neglected its responsibility to collect fines and materials, such as books, videos and CDs.

“I think the library has done a fine job in trying to get back library materials that are overdue,” she said.

Her comments followed a Times story July 30 stating that the library had done little beyond sending out overdue notices and making automated telephone calls to recover long-overdue materials.

The practices contrast with those of many other cities across the country that are taking tough stances on scofflaws by hiring collection agencies or issuing arrest warrants for the worst offenders.

In Los Angeles, 37 patrons owe the library between $1,000 and $2,040, according to a list the library provided to The Times in June.

Kent told the board that the computer capacity to transfer information to a collection agency has only recently been made available. Previously, it took too much time for librarians to investigate the loss of materials and the effort was phased out.

“You have to look at what it costs,” Kent told the library board.

During the 1999-2000 fiscal year, fewer than 150,000 items were lost--1.15% of circulation--compared with a national average of 1.5% of circulation, Kent said. It was “a lot of items,” she said, but fewer than in previous years. That same year the library collected $1.8 million in fines, she said.

The library has introduced automated calling of patrons with books or items two weeks overdue. On an average day the library system makes 713 automated calls to patrons with overdue items. Of those calls, 551 reach the patrons. The remaining 162 patrons receive written notices, officials said.

Nothing has yet been done to pursue those who do not respond to the automated calls or notices.

Roy Stone, president of the Librarians Guild, told the board that at the Fairfax branch where he works very few overdue notices are sent out. He said he is concerned about relying on the automated call system because he has heard it fails to notify patrons of books on hold as it is supposed to do.

Librarians at the meeting said that some problem borrowers will always violate the rules, whatever measures are taken. Kent agreed, “There are always people who are going to do the wrong thing.”