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Conversation 1 - Library policies for returning books

Narrator: Listen to a conversation between a student and a library employee.

Student: Excuse me, I received a letter that I am supposed to return a book that I checked out back in September, it’s called Modern Social Problems. But I am writing my senior thesis, so I thought I was allowed to keep the book for the whole academic year.

Librarian: So you signed up for extended borrowing privileges?

Student: Yeah.

Librarian: And we are still asking you to bring the book back?

Student: Uh-huh. Do I really have to?

Librarian: Well, let me check the computer. The title was … Modern Social Problems?

Student: Yeah.

Librarian: Eh… Ok, yeah. It’s been recalled. You can keep it all year as long as no one else requests it, but someone else has, it looks like one of the professors in the sociology department. So you have to bring it back. You can check it out again when it is returned in a couple of weeks.

Student: What if the person renews it? And I really need it right now.

Librarian: All of it? Or is there a certain section or chapter you are working with?

Student: Well, there’s one chapter in particular I am working with, but why?

Librarian: Well, we normally don’t do this, but because of the circumstances we can photocopy up to one chapter for you. Why don’t you do that for the one you are working with right now? And by the time you need the rest of the book, maybe it’ll have been returned.

Student: Oh, that would be great.

Librarian: Do you have it with you?

Student: Eh… no, it’s in my dorm room. These are books I want to check out today.

Is it OK if I bring that one by in a couple of days?

Librarian: Actually, the due day is tomorrow. After that, there’ll be a two dollar per day fine. But you need to return it today if you want to check out any books today.

That’s our policy.

Student: Oh, I see.

Librarian: Yeah, not a lot of people realize that. In fact, every semester we get a few students who would have their borrowing privileges suspended completely because they haven’t returned books.They are allowed to use books only in the library. They are not allowed to check anything out because of unreturned books.

Student: That’s not good. I guess I should head back to the dorm right now.

Librarian: But before you go, what you should do is fill out a form requesting the book back in two weeks. Then the person who requested it won’t be able to renew it. You’ll get it back quickly.

Student: I’ll do that right now.