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SENATE 

?

MIMORANDUM

From

LIBRARY PENALTIES 

Sub

jed

CHANGESIN PROCEDURS - LIBRY 

Y ?? 

Date

-

1973?

PENALTIES 

MOTION: 

?

?

"That Senate approve changes in the procedures 

?

of the Library Penalties Appeal Committee as 

follows: 

Delete: ? 

'Penalties imposed will not be suspended while 

.

?

an appeal is waiting to be heard by the Committee, 

but fines which have been paid and which are 

subsequently deemed unfair by the Committee will 

be refunded.' 

Add: 

?

'Penalties Imposed will be suspended while an 

appeal is waiting to be heard by the Committee, 

and fines which have been paid and which are 

subsequently deemed unfair by the Committee will 

be

SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY.

&7*8

MEMORANDUM

LIBRARY PENALTIES APPEAL COMMITTEE 

From

Subject ? 

CHANGES 'IN PROCEDURES - LIBRARY 

?

Date DECEMBER 21,1973 

PENALTIES 

MOTION: ? 

"That Senate approve changes in .the procedures 

of the Library Penalties Appeal Committee as 

follows: 

Delete: ? 

'Penalties imposed will not-be suspended while 

an appeal is waiting to be heard by the Committee, 

but fines which have been paid and which are 

subsequently deemed unfair by the Committee will 

be refunded.' 

Add: ? 

'Penalties imposed will be suspended while an 

appeal is waiting to be heard by the Committee, 

and fines which have been paid and which are 

subsequently deemed unfair by the Committee will 

be refunded."' 

To

?

SENATE 

__6

LIS*A*.T

PENALTIES

APPEAL COMMITTEE

NAME ?

LIBRARY PENALTIES APPEAL COMMITTEE

TYPE ?

Standing

Committee reporting to Senate Library Committee

PURPOSE To

consider

cases wherein an individual feels that he Is

unjustly penalized for an infraction

of the Library Loan

Policy

and to make the final decision

• MEMBERShIP ?

One Graduate student appointed by the Dean of Graduate

Studies - Chairman (non-voting except in case of a tie)

Two faculty members elected by and from the Senate.

Library Committee or to be appointed by the Senate If

there Is not a student on the Library Committee

• ?

One student appointed by the Student Society

Head of the Loan Division or designate (non-voting)

• PROCEDURE ?

Any individual who is aggrieved by the decision of the

• Loan Division of the Library concerning penalties may

petition, in writing, to the Head of the division that his

ease be considered by the Library Penalties Appeal

1 ?

Committee. The individual will be notified by letter/

telephone of the date of the meeting and may speak to the

1 ?

committee on his grievance.

•

The

Loan Division will provide documentation for the

Library. and the

individual may

contest the evidence or

•

enter any circumstances that may be germane. The

. ?

decision of the Committee is final. •

Penalties imposed will Adt be sus

is waiting to be heard by the Committee, bict'fines which

have been paid and which are subsequently deemed unfair

•

0•

•

• ?

the Committee will be refunded. •

•

• ?

0 ?

SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

• ?

MEMORANDUM

...............

Senate Library Penalties ... ........ ........ . 

From .... .. ......

..

Jean-Pierre Daem ....... ..... ........ ............. 

..

Appea.]. .... C.inmi.....e.................................................. 

&ab

ed.. 

?

Penalty 

.

App.

l .

co.mrni.tt .e 

...............

Date

................

October....2,,,,,. 

.973 . 

Senate at its meeting of January 10, 1973, passed a motion 

establishing the Library Penalties Appeal Committee. (APPENDIX I) 

The Committee has never met to date and the first three 

appeals are being heard today. 

While the writer makes no value judgments as to the reasons 

for this poor response by students and faculty to this 

committee which was to have handled a "backlog of cases" 

(Senate Minutes, January 10, 1972, page 17), I suggest the 

following: 

1. The Committee was poorly advertised 

(see letters, J-P Daem to Pak). 

2.

The Head of the Loans Division has a policy of 

coming to mutually acceptable agreements with 

students. 

3.

There is a basic lack of faith in Committees and the 

resultant inconvenience of an appeals procedure. 

Penalties (i.e. borrowing privileges) are not 

suspended while an appeal is waiting to be heard. 

i.

The Library has made a concerted effort since the complaints 

by the Chairman of this Committee of the lack of awareness 

of the Committee, to advertise it in the Library Handbook 

(See Appendix II). 

The University community should therefore be aware of the 

existence of the Appeals mechanism. 

ii.

Mrs. Jans, Head of the Loans Division, has used discretion 

over the past few years in dealing with library offenders. 

To this end, she will propose a mutually agreeable arrange- 

ment to solve the dispute. Most students have expressed 

satisfaction with this mode of operation. In fact, wherever 

the student not in good standing with the Library has reason- 

able grounds for complaint, Mrs. Jans seems to have given 

the student the benefit of the doubt. She should be commended 

for her attitude toward students and the enforcement of a 

loans policy which requires much goodwill and cooperation. 

-2 - 

Nevertheless, some students still feel agrieved and yet 

.

?

they fail to appear before the Committee. 

Students have become very cynical toward committees and 

feel that many are of little value. The writer does not 

share this feeling and it is felt that Appeals Committees 

do serve a useful purpose in Academic Governance and, 

therefore, this argument cannot be considered too seriously. 

iv.

?

Within the terms of reference of the Committee there is a 

presumption that a student is guilty, and thus the penalty 

which has been imposed by the Library will not be suspended 

while an appeal is waiting to be heard. This concept is 

both discriminatory and undemocratic. 

It discrimates against the student who may have valid 

reasons for appeal but will tend to take the easy way out 

(i.e. some compromise fine) because he is in need of his 

borrowing privileges to pursue his studies. 

The student (or faculty) may suffer unjust damage simply 

because the Committee, for one reason or another, is not 

able to convene quickly. 

It is undemocratic inasmuch as it presumes guilt until the 

person is proven innocent. 

It would appear that this may be the major cause of concern 

• ? 

to both students and faculty, and may be a factor for the 

lack of appeals heard by the Committee. 

RECOMMENDATION 

The Committee recommends that the final paragraph of paper 

S72-12 be struck and replaced by the following: 

"Penalties imposed will be suspended while an 

appeal.-is waiting to be heard by the Committee." 

/

ic

?

J-P Daem 

Chairman 

:•. ? 

•r•• 

COMMENTS AND PROPOSALS TO THE APPEALS COMMITTEE 

It seems to come as quite a shock to patrons that they do, 

in fact, owe fines to the library. I really do not know the answer 

to this, as any reminder, recalls, or notices, do state the situation 

for their information. But more times than not, patrons will tell 

you they just don't read these notices. 

Their first realization that they have a fine is when they 

wish to take material from the library and are told "I'm sorry, 

but you are presently on the suspension list", then the fun begins. 

The "whys" etc. have to be explained and certainly this is all quite 

time consuming for both parties. Some cases are cleared up immed- 

iately - others insist they are going to appeal. The staff (senior) 

have lifted the suspension in some cases on the promise the patron 

will immediately write an appeal - many do not keep this promise. 

Their number remains on the list and they must check with Mrs. Gale 

if they wish further privileges. We do understand that many patrons 

do

important 

not have 

to

ready 

them. 

cash to pay fines and term papers etc. are so 

I would like to propose the following: 

Any patron suspended and cannot settle immediately, must 

write an appeal to the Head - Loan Division, if they feel aggrieved. 

On receipt of the letter, the division head will - 

. ?

1. Cancel fine if felt appropriate, send letter advising 

patron and immediately lift suspension. 

2. Not cancel fine, letter of explanation and reasons 

sent to patron, patron to remain on suspension list. 

:A thorough explanation will be given and the patron 

will accept the explanation and pay the fine, or 

after reading will still feel it unfair and then 

can immediately direct a letter c/o Loan Division, 

Head, to the Appeals Committee. On receipt of this 

letter, the suspension will be lifted by the Division 

Head, the procedure will then be to contact the Chairman 

of the Committee to call a meeting. 

Reason for proposal: 

As experience has shown, most of the letters received in the 

past by the Division Head have cleared up many a situation. I have 

made a point of treating each individual and their problem separately 

and have found in so many cases that patron truly did not understand 

the "whole picture". Many have personally made a point of coming in 

and thanking us for taking the time to explain all sides and are very 

willing to pay the fine. 

•

Page 2. 

I, personally, feel the suspension does serve a good purpose, 

as such. Many times the library is unable to find any address for 

a patron - if the number is put on the list, we eventually meet the 

person and explain the importance of addresses and any address change. 

The suspension also will force patrons having fines to clear them up 

as quickly as possible. While our intentions of writing a letter of 

appeal are good - it has to be faced-we are all human. If a patron 

realizes they must write a letter to clear up a situation, or stay 

suspended, it will forOe them to take action fast. 

Should there be no suspension, I would suggest people will 

not bother to do anything until they receive a letter from a collection 

agency. 

Ignorance of the loan policies - address problems - not 

reading notices and not receiving mail are the main problems facing 

our patrons. Without a suspension to a degree, I truly do not know 

how else the service could run. It is like leading a horse to water 

but you cannot make him drink. If people will not bother reading, 

no amount of advertising will help. With the suspension list we are 

at least given the opportunity to see and explain, through personal 

contact or letter. Both seem to be working very satisfactory at 

the present time. 

Since the new policy has been in effect, the following 

statistics may be of interest to you. 

- about 300 - 350 

- 100 

-6

2 (Committee, dealing with) 

While

I admit it is rather time consuming as far as answer- 

ing mail, I :personally feel it has been well worth any time taken. 

I have attached notices etc. that are sent to patrons for 

your perusal and comments. 

f

Head.,PL^a^ 

nDivision 

/kc

Attachment 

Letters received 

Fines cancelled 

Repeat letters 

SIMON FP/tSER UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.

DATE CUE:

OVEPDUE HOOK NOTICE

—

SEMESTER/RECALL LOAN SYSTEM

Ai YOUR BORROWING PRIVILEGES RE GENER.L

LOANS ITEMS ARE NOW SUSPENDED.

B) IF

THE BOOKS ARE NOT RETURNED BY

AUG-29-72, A $5.00 FINE IS ASSESSED.

AFTFR SEP-11-72, A FURTHER FINE OF

ii.o.

WILL BE LEVIED FOR EACH SUCCESSIVE D:,Y

4.721004697 ?

UP TO

MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF $25.00

VANCOUVER

THIS

SYSTEM

NEEDED. OR WHEN RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED.

SIMCN FRASER

UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

PAGE: 02

4.721004697 ?

LIST OF OVERDUE BOck(S)

t),e

O:tc

­

HiP

1964

C.3

ELLIS.

CUINE,

MIRIAM

WILLARD

HUMAN

FROM

EAR,

LOGI

516

7 ?

SMITH.

JUDAM.

WOLLHEIM.

RALPH

J STILISON

RICHARD

FORMS

PRIMER

AESTHETIC

BACKWCODS

HISTORY

ART

CONCEPTS

AND

PHIL

- HAP.RTSOM,JOHN Fn8ERT

• ?

SILON

FRASER UNIVERSITY

LID RARY

REC/4LL

NOTICE

CLASSIFICATION

REQUEST DUE IN LIBRARY:

The above library material has baen requned?

b' another patron. Please return the in it

(

-- ?

to the liacall Counter by Due Date.

Fines caeulated at one dollar per da" aria

borrowing privileges will be suspf

.jic iJ it

materIal

not returned by Due L.

'..1

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSIIY LIBRARY

JUN-27-73 ?

SECOND NOTICE OF OVERDUE ACCCUNT

DEAR PATRON.

SCRRY TO

AGAIN

PEMINI) YOU CF, AN OUTSTANDING ACCOUNT WHICH

I'M

5LRE

HAS S1.IPPFO YOUR MIND. OUR RECORDS SHCW YCU HAVE NOT RETURNED LIBRARY

MATERIAl

A LISTING

OF THE

ACCOUNT

TO DATE

IS ATTACHED

PAY

• ?

AT TI-F

LOAN OF SM. IF YOU WISH TO QUESTION THE ACCOUNT PLEASE

CHECK

WITH MRS. CALF OR MRS. TODD AT THE LOAN DESK BETWEEN THE HOURS CF

t:oa'

AND

MCNOAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

. MA' I AGAIN RFMIND VOL THAT

ACCOUNTS NOT PAID ?

WITHIN 60 DAYS OF BEING INCURRED MAY BE

PLACED IN THE HANDS OF A COLLECTION AGENCY

HEAD — LOAN DIVISION ?

(