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Similar to how privately run businesses budget to take shoplifting into account as an operational expense, so too can libraries. Imagine if Whole Foods charged

Similar to how privately run businesses budget to take shoplifting into account as an operational expense, so too can libraries. Imagine if Whole Foods charged every customer $200/year as "insurance" for those who do shoplift, there probably wouldn't be many shoppers who would accept this change without also changing how often they shop there (or stop altogether), and that's even considering that most Whole Foods shoppers are likely financially stable enough to afford to pay that out of pocket. Unlike Whole Foods, though, as a public good (and already funded by the taxes of everyone who walks in the doors), libraries have a mission to make books accessible to as many people as possible, not just those who can pay what's a $200 fee, nor are they trying to make a profit, so they have even less incentive than Whole Foods to punish their patrons.

kazinator 5y ago
> Imagine if Whole Foods charged every customer $200/year as "insurance" for those who do shoplift. That makes no sense; you are not talking about a refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting. People do not borrow food from Whole foods and then fail to return it. Deposits are standard operating practice in rental businesses. Have you ever rented a tool? They will put the replacement cost of the tool (possibly into the hundreds of dollars) as a charge on your credit card, which is then reversed when you return it, minus the $15 rental or whatever.
- thebradbain 5y ago
  > That makes no sense; you are not talking about a refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting. People do not borrow food from Whole foods and then fail to return it. "A refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting" is, for all practical purposes, an additional fee that would remain out of your pocket for as long as you want to have a right to the library, even if you have no intention to steal, which is more or less the same as Whole Foods just deciding to charge $200 to any potential shopgoer for the right to enter their store. Refundable or not, that's $200 that is gone from your pocket until you either move (and then pay another $200 fee at a different city's library?) or give up your membership. Our access to libraries are already funded by our taxes. We've already paid for access. Why disincentivize people to use what we all pay for, other than to justify spending less tax money on libraries because not as many people are going? > Have you ever rented a tool? Yes, actually. Most recently, Home Depot just put a $30 charge for a $3500 lawnmower on my card -- with the threat that if I don't return it within a certain amount of time I'll owe it in total. They did not ever put the total cost of $3500 on my card.

kazinator 5y ago

> Imagine if Whole Foods charged every customer $200/year as "insurance" for those who do shoplift. That makes no sense; you are not talking about a refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting. People do not borrow food from Whole foods and then fail to return it. Deposits are standard operating practice in rental businesses. Have you ever rented a tool? They will put the replacement cost of the tool (possibly into the hundreds of dollars) as a charge on your credit card, which is then reversed when you return it, minus the $15 rental or whatever.

thebradbain 5y ago
> That makes no sense; you are not talking about a refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting. People do not borrow food from Whole foods and then fail to return it. "A refundable deposit that is only deducted in confirmed cases of shoplifting" is, for all practical purposes, an additional fee that would remain out of your pocket for as long as you want to have a right to the library, even if you have no intention to steal, which is more or less the same as Whole Foods just deciding to charge $200 to any potential shopgoer for the right to enter their store. Refundable or not, that's $200 that is gone from your pocket until you either move (and then pay another $200 fee at a different city's library?) or give up your membership. Our access to libraries are already funded by our taxes. We've already paid for access. Why disincentivize people to use what we all pay for, other than to justify spending less tax money on libraries because not as many people are going? > Have you ever rented a tool? Yes, actually. Most recently, Home Depot just put a $30 charge for a $3500 lawnmower on my card -- with the threat that if I don't return it within a certain amount of time I'll owe it in total. They did not ever put the total cost of $3500 on my card.