groups

Enjoy! I tried to get on list for John Irving's new release Last Night in Twisted River but the library is not yet taking requests. Yesterday picked up Robert B. Parker's THE PROFESSIONAL. It should be a one nighter if I can stay awake that long!

-A question here? Since carci has just picked up David Baldacci's new book and mentions that she feels like she has won a 7 day prize, does that mean you can only keep the new release for one week? When I get a new book from the library, I can keep it for two weeks if there is a waiting list. If there is no waiting list, I can renew again for another two weeks, and another two more weeks (6 weeks altogether) if it's not wanted by a request from any library. So, Iam wondering if all libraries across the U S have different policies? Will be interested to know the answer

We can check out any book for three weeks. If no waiting list it can be renewed for another three weeks. DVDs can be checked out for one week. Nice, liberal policy.

Our library system allows books out for 3 weeks with a 3 day grace period before fines kick in... then it can be renewed 2X with a 3 day grace period each time so the total time you can keep a book is 10 weeks and 2 days without incurring fines...

However if someone is on a wait list for a book it cannot be renewed at all... and new books can only be taken out for 7 days and renewed twice for 7 days (with a 3 day grace period... so actually 10 days) but if you keep it the 11th day you pay 4 days worth of fines which range from 10-15 cents per day depending on which library branch it came from... I forgot to renew 2 books up north last week and owed $1.00 at the library yesterday... which I am always happy to pay...

I also do most of my library browsing online now and just order what I want. I've learned that my library has most of the current mysteries since our director is a mystery expert and has even written a guide and gives lectures on them. However if I want Jodi Picoult or some other types of books they often have to be sent from other branches. Sometimes I have 8 or more books on order. Then I just go to the counter and pick them up.

The really odd thing is I ordered New Tricks about 2 months ago and got it sent from a branch for 3 weeks... but when I was in our branch yesterday it was on the 7 day shelf... weird! I guess each branch determines what books to restrict to the 7 day loan time.

This is interesting. Hadn't realized there was such a big difference in library policies. Here, we can check out even new books for 2 weeks, but if there's a waiting list, we can't renew them. Also, we can't request a book from one of the other libraries if our library owns it, even if we are way down on the list for it. And usually when a book is newly released, the other libraries won't let people from different libraries request it online. AND when we do get a book through interlibrary loan, we can often keep it for up to a month, depending.

ALSO, here, we can't request a book until it has already been processesed here and is ready to go, I think this is what bugs me most of all. :(

In our library system (where I work), we have books called "Sizzlers" -- these books are "hot" and holds are not taken on them. Each branch gets a supply and they are strictly for our branch customers who come into the library. They check out for three weeks, without renewals. We also have regular copies which check out for three weeks, for which holds are taken and may be renewed for up to three times, if no other customer is waiting. These are listed on the catalog and reserves are shared among the branches. Our system selectors look weekly at the reserve ratio (number of copies vs. number of reserves) and purchase extra copies when the ratio becomes greater than 3:1.

Our customers may place holds on books that are listed as "on order" on the catalog and may request books be purchased at any time.

My local library is part of a large 3-county system of libraries, each of which has its own rules. Books that are "new" (on the shelves less than 6 months), can be loaned for 1-3 weeks, depending on the library, and can only be renewed if no one else is waiting for it. Some libraries will send out requested books that are still considered new; others don't until the six months are up. If I am on the online list for a particular book and my local library buys it, though, I go to the top of the list and get that local copy first. Books that aren't new can be checked out for 2-3 weeks and renewed twice. Magazines are 1-3 weeks, depending on the library, and CD's and DVD's are usually 1 week; both are renewable. Fines for late books are 5 or 10 cents a day, well worth it for a great book that I can't finish in time! I can order books by computer from anywhere in the entire system and then just pick them up at my local library; books arrive on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In fact, I have 2 waiting for me today.
Interesting note - apparently each library has a "specialty", so to speak. I read a lot of political-type books and was surprised to find so many new ones at a particular small library; when I commented on it the librarian told me that it was because political books were their specialty.
I also have a library card for the huge county library system in the county where I work but rarely go there anymore. Most of their new books are 7-day and their waiting lists for books are usually much longer. On the other hand, non-fiction books that I would wait for at home can sometimes be found there on open shelves. They also charge 25 cents per book that you "order" and their fines are higher.

My daughter in Minneapolis says her library has a special 25 cents per day rental on the newest and most popular books... if you are willing to pay the price you can get it very quickly...

What very interesting replies. Seems that most libraries have a one or two week maximum on new books if there is a waiting list. Since my local library is a very small one, the librarian asked me today if I would give her a list of the books that I would recommend (latest and most popular ones), so I think I will follow the New York Times list and recommend some of those.

Our library has a 3-week normal loan period (including new books) with the option to renew twice at 3 weeks each. If there's a hold, no renewals are allowed. It's fascinating how many variations there are in library policies!