Would YOU do this?

[Gail]

Just curious:

At Campmeeting we have an outdoor used book section... The shelves are there and people donate their books and place them on the shelves. The shelves with the books remain outside in their spots even when the store is closed.

When the store is closed, people feel free to take the books without paying for them. We don't have the room to bring the books inside twice during the day. We trust that people will pay for them during open hours.

But many don't... and feel entitled to do so. I don't know, but even used books, if for sale, still need to be paid for. When people approach me wanting to pay for used books while the store is closed or wanting to take them to their campsite without paying for them, I tell them, No, they really need to be paid for.

I know that places with outdoor sections such as, Walmart or a hardware store, lock them up when they are closed. But even if they didn't, I wouldn't feel that it is my right to enter and remove what I want without paying for it. If I find something on the road or something where it is not distinguishable who the item belongs to, then okay, I found it. But I would not take a homeless person's gear nor something that is sitting outside a store. I do not remove my neighbour's belongings if they are left out in their yard.

I just had another such customer... Camp was a whole month ago... and he would like to pay for them now. I am happy that he finally came and fessed up, but he never said sorry or anything. He was another one of those that felt that because the store wasn't open when he was looking at the used books that he was free to help himself.

Grrr...   

[Gregory Matthews]

Questions:

*  What signs are present and  how explicit are they?

*  People donate the books?  So they are not in the beginning ABC books.  Here in the U.S., in many places, there will be stands where one can leave books and take books for no charge.

*  Is there a locked container where people could deposit the price of a book?

*  As described, I would think that many people could assume that they could take a book and pay for it sometime later.  

Gail, I do not have answers to your post.  I am only asking questions.  Perhaps, something I say might be of value? 

 

  

 

[phkrause]

What about if it rains, can the books get wet??

[Outta Here]

If no signs were posted, I *might* think they were like a free-library system. Give a book, get a book...no need to pay if the items are left out. Like Gregory said, in the U.S., we do have things called "Little Free Libraries" or "Neighborhood Libraries" where people share freely with one another. There definitely should be signs somewhere saying the books need to be paid for. 

And on another note, wouldn't it be nice if there were a "Campmeeting Little Free Library" where people could donate books and receive books for free?!