Librarians at a Florida library created a fictional reader who checked out books to help them stay on the shelves — books not checked out for a long period at the library can be removed, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Maplewood Head Librarian Terry Donnelly, when asked about the scheme, said the Maplewood library has never falsified circulation records, and would never have a reason to cook the books.
Two employees at the Florida library created the fictional character “Chuck Finley” complete with a false address and drivers license number. The fictional Finley was named after a retired pitcher who played mostly for the LA Angels. The library increased its circulation by 3.9 percent through the fictional reader’s prolific checking out of books.
Donnelly said the Maplewood library’s revenue is based solely on property assessments and does not change based on circulation, so would have no incentive to create a fictional reader.
In fact, he said, the share of the Maplewood library’s costs to the Municipal Library Consortium (the independent libraries in St. Louis County, to which Maplewood, Brentwood and Richmond Heights belong) is partly based on circulation figures. As circulation increases, so does the percentage of the cost for the MLC, so it would be against their own interest to artificially increase circulation figures.
It would have been nice to not use the Maplewood Library picture. Very Lazy and deceptive.
It was also unfair to start the title with “This Library “under its picture.
Some people just skim titles and would unfairly assume it was the Maplewood Library which is a great place with wonderful employees who are always helpful.
M Sharp – I agree, and removed the photo and altered the headline.