Unfiltered Story #160112

(When our after-hours book drop is emptied in the morning, we set the check-in computers to the day before so that, when the books are checked in, it registers that they were checked in the previous day. This keeps books that were turned in on their actual due date from showing up as overdue. For a time we would tell patrons “if you return your books by 9 AM the next day, you won’t accrue fines” to encourage them to return books. Predictably, this backfired spectacularly one morning just after we opened at 10 AM.)

Patron: Here are my books. And because I was in your parking lot ten minutes before you opened, I don’t owe fines.

Me: Ma’am, that’s not how it works.

Patron: I was here before you opened! I shouldn’t owe any fines!

Me: Ma’am, that policy only applies to books that are deposited in the book drop before 9 AM. You turned these books in a day late, so the fines will be *amount*.

Patron: But I was here in your parking lot before you opened! That means the books are technically on time!

(We argued in circles for a few minutes before I finally gave up and got the administrator in charge of accounts.)

Admin: Ma’am, *Employee* is correct. These books were turned in today, so there are still fines to be paid.

Patron: I was told if I brought them in the morning before you opened, I wouldn’t owe fines! I’m not paying fines!

Admin: *giving up* Fine. Void the fines. *to me after the patron leaves* That’s the last time we delete fines for her. She’s pulled this stunt before.

(All that fuss over less than fifty cents in fines…)