Guaranteed Returns on Book Loans

I had a wonderful dinner this evening with several women from UNC-Chapel Hill, and at one point in the conversation we were on the topic about book loans. 

It's interesting that sometimes when you loan a book, it seems to vanish or disappear.  For some reason, when it comes to books, people seem to forget who the original owner is or just become lax in returning it. 

Well, one of the ladies has a fool-proof solution...before you loan a book, ask for an item in exchange that is of value to that person.  After all, a book is of value, so instead of it mysteriously disappearing, make sure that you have something of value from the borrower. It's simple and ingenious!   When the book is returned, you return the other item of value! 

What have you done to ensure books are returned to you in a timely manner? 

Are there other items you have borrowed from people that have not returned to your bookshelf? 

Why do you think human nature acts in this way? 

Comments

[Laura Poole]

I keep my borrowed books in a particular place on my entryway table so that I remember I borrowed it. I was in the unique situation a couple of years ago of having so highly recommended a particular book that I ended up with 3 copies because others thought I had loaned it to them when I didn't!

Now, when I want a book, I check the library first, then I check out one of my favorite Websites, www.bookmooch.com where I can get books for FREE and give away ones I don't want.

[Jennifer]

Hi Naomi,
Just wanted to also say I had a great time at dinner (as one of the alluded guests that you talk about above).

In answer to your above questions, I think part of it is laziness--that we just forget to return books and/or we are waiting for others to prompt us to return the item. Some of us may feel a twinge of guilt. Or maybe we feel we are "owed" the book depending on the situation of how we came to borrow said books.

I have to admit that I have 1-2 books that I've "borrowed" from people and haven't returned. One is from an ex-boyfriend's roommate in college. Our break-up was particularly bad, and I think I just decided that I couldn't bear to contact anyone close to him (most especially his roommate) so I hung onto the book, thinking if Rusty wanted it back, he'd contact me. Now, two decades later, I have no earthly idea where Rusty is, but if I did, I'd actually pop the book in the mail (I still have it--an anthology of Contemporary American short fiction).