The Library System and YOU.

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AmandaCarr

Here at UMass, we're blessed with easy access to the five colleges library system, which makes our lives as academics easier, but can also create problems, as books can become lost in the shuffle, even when you've returned them. Last year, after I completed my areas and returned the 100 or so books I had checked out, I was informed that 8 books were "missing." Of course I am sure I returned them, having never lost a library book in my life, but with no proof and only my word to go on, I was inevitably charged for the books. I vowed to be more diligent in the future, but only last week after a book was recalled and I returned it, I received an email suggesting it was still checked out! So, a word of advice to grad students: make sure that you return your books to the circulation desk to ensure they are checked in correctly, and then re-check your library account to make sure that your returned books have been removed. This might seem like a hassle at the time, but believe me, the bigger hassle is dealing with "lost" books and a skeptical library staff.