Another Potential Work Problem

[lilmutegirl]

So...I feel really upset/awkward now. Here's the story (chronologically):
1) A former coworker who now lives in another state messaged me on fb--she had 2 items that had gone to "Lost" status (she was being billed the full replacement amount). She asked me to check them in, then back out to her, so that those bills would be gone, and renew her other items. I agreed initially, but kind of questioned whether I should...
2) I went to a meeting where another coworker told us how she renewed a "Lost" item for a patron that had been packed and continued to renew it until the time when the woman said she would be back. This was an example of excellent customer service.
3) I renewed all the items for my former coworker (including the "Lost" ones--I did not check them back in).
4) Yet another coworker informed me that the former coworker had contacted her days ago regarding the exact same scenario. She went to someone else to ask her opinion, and the other person told her to ignore former coworker. The one who talked to me indicated that she thought it would be "illegal" to check materials in that we didn't have in hand (I agree). I said nothing about my interaction with former coworker.

Was I wrong to have done this? I wasn't too worried, especially after hearing from the coworker who did something similar...until the other woman told me she had been approached. I feel used, and am kind of nerve-wracked now.

 

[kihira]

Are there clearly stated rules about this? If not, then it sounds like you did the right thing by only renewing and you have that similar example as a guide, so dont feel bad. You can use this as a learning experience.

on a side note, do you check the shelves for supposedly lost items? its more than a few times that I've been notified of overdues that where never scanned as returned - I found them on the shelves

 

[lilmutegirl]

I think she actually has the items--she said she would bring them when she comes back to town next month. I assume she just forgot to renew them, and now she should be able to renew them herself.
I did not check for specific guidelines (we do have a procedure page on our main website at work that I often reference, but whenever I have checked for info regarding lost items, it is hard to find information).
I probably wouldn't be so freaked out if it weren't for the fact that, obviously, other people know of her situation, and if they happen to check her account (possible, but I don't know that anyone would), they would see that it has been rectified, and may question who did it. Also, when she comes back with the stuff, there may be a question...
The other worker who was approached by her said that she thought that someone higher up should make the call on what to do--as though at our level, we are not authorized to do something like that...

 

[kihira]

Bottom line is that if it is questioned, it really is only a minor thing and your intentions were good at the time of your actions, but I understand how it would cause worry as I've been in similar situations and there's an auto-guilt thing that happens. So I suggest just let time play out, probs nothing will come of it, and only worry if and when its questioned :thumbup:

 

[lilmutegirl]

That's pretty much what my boyfriend said. I feel a little more at ease about it, but it still bugs me some...especially since she worked there for a long time--I wonder if she would do someone the same courtesy, and if she would have had second thoughts about it (if she wouldn't have done that for someone, or thought it would be wrong, why would she ask me??)

 

[lilmutegirl]

So, I thought this would be a one-time thing, and was feeling better about it...until I logged into fb this morning and saw a message from her asking to renew her items again, since she wants to pay her fines online, and needs to renew the items so that the total is updated, but her account is blocked, due to the amount owed, and she can't renew them online herself. Typically, I would probably attempt to renew as many as possible, but not renew items that have holds (the two I renewed for her before had holds, and I overrode them for a one-time exception). I would probably be comfortable renewing items without holds, but not overriding again (I suspect she has not renewed them because they have holds, but won't know until I have access to her account). I work tomorrow, and can check then. I don't know what to tell her if I don't want to renew some things...I'm glad she is taking care of her account, though, so that hopefully it won't be an issue in the future.