1. Everyone has overdues. Overdue items are not a huge deal. Most library staff member have them, and we visit the library every day. We do not write the "nasty emails" that remind you of your overdue items, and trust me, we are not looking down on you. If you owe overdue fees, think of them as a nominal fee for an excellent service. (If you have more than a few overdues, you can usually talk someone into bringing them down to a reasonable level as long as you don't act like a jerk.)
2. Library items undergo normal wear and tear. It's a sad fact of their library lives. If you return a book with the spine tearing away from the pages or a DVD that won't play any more, we will not hold you liable. Please don't refuse to return it and lose your library privileges because you think we are that unreasonable.
3. Circulation has a margin of error. If you use the library regularly, eventually you will return an item that does not get checked in. Don't panic. Tell us, and we will search the shelves for it. If you are not a jerk, we will give you credit for returning it even if we can't find it.
4. We do not judge your reading habits. Don't mistake us for English teachers. We do not think that you should only read wholesome literature. We enjoy a good bodice ripper, young adult novel, culinary mystery, or horror story, or we at least have several beloved patrons who do. I promise I'm not smirking at your bag of Nora Roberts novels. As a caveat, if you say something like, "I don't read young adult novels, I'm not twelve," I am judging you for the book snob that you are.
5. We are a nonprofit institution. No one is buying a Mercedes with your overdue fines.
6. It's pronounced "library". It is not a berry.
I guess you can shelve most of these under "don't be a jerk, and don't assume that we're jerks." Speaking of, I just had a delightful conversation with someone that started with, "Why are you working here? Couldn't you find something else?" Happy Friday, everyone.
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