dissappointed

i slept late last night because i was trying to renew the books i borrowed but it didn't make me do anything because from the red letters written on the page, i had an overdue book that was supposed to be returned last jan27. after checking all the places that i might have left it, i was certain that i did return the book personally last january 24, saturday, with my classmates. i even remember us talking to the librarian because a classmate renewed it online but the system did not recognize it so she had to pay the amount equivalent to the number of days it was overdue.

today, i went to school, with me were the three books i was supposed to renew online. i brought it with me just in case there were instances where the books were needed. i was told by the librarian to go to the third floor to check since it was evident that he did not know what to do next. irritated already, i went to the third floor and told them the scenario. I asked them politely,

"how can i prove that the books were returned? do you give a receipt or acknowledgement that it has been done?"

the librarian instead told me to check back in a few days after they search for the book. (read:NO)

"so what if you don't find the book? will it be charged against me or my records?"
she nodded and said that i would have to complete a form stating the loss of the book and for the mean time, i was to return the other books that were due. "but i need these books and i don't think it would be fair from being restricted to renew because of a book that's missing which clearly was not my fault" despite the things i told her, i was left with no choice but to return the book. i waited while the mister in the 4th floor was talking on the phone despite the queue. he told me that if i was only to return the books, i was free to go since nothing was needed from me. i told him that i'd wait and see for myself that he scanned the barcode. curious, he asked me what the problem was and for the third time, i told him the dilemma. the other employee heard it and said that the 3rd floor people already cleared me from what happened and that i was free to borrow the book again.

before going home, i checked OPAC and found the book labelled "for shelfing" so i dropped by the third floor and asked the librarian personally if they found the book already. she said yes and that i wouldn't be able to renew the book i had (pointing to the books i held) if i wasn't cleared. i thanked her and went home.

i didn't even get a "sorry" or even a "pasensya na sa abala" from any of them after all the things i had to go through because of someone's carelessness.

i'll be carrying a little notebook from now on to let them sign once i return the book no matter how silly they think of me.