I am a Bulldog

As usual, I've been trying to get overdue materials back to the library -- and in fact I've been intensifying my efforts a bit as the school year is drawing to a close. This is a tricky business because we don't assess late fees, so our patrons have no financial incentive to return items promptly. Ultimately, if you have an overdue item, your only motivation to return it is to get Mr. Reed off your back!

We start by sending weekly automated e-mails to all students with overdue books. If those don't work, their library accounts are frozen after four weeks. Then I start getting personally involved, visiting classrooms and, finally, writing to parents and student advisors.

I scored a minor victory yesterday when I sent an e-mail to the parents of a girl who's had a book out since December. Her mother posted my note, word for word, to the girl's Facebook wall! My hero! The girl commented, "Really, mother? On my timeline? For everyone to see?"

I know this only because another teacher sent me a screen cap of the post. Brilliant.

We'll see if it's effective.

My primary offender at this point is another girl -- a senior, no less -- who's had a book since last October. This has basically become a battle of wills between the two of us, I think. But I am persistent. I am like Olga with her Kong. I am going to gnaw and gnaw and gnaw.

In other news, I was interviewed yesterday by a writer for the RPS Journal, the magazine for the Royal Photographic Society. Apparently they're doing an article about Bleeding London. They asked me to send six of my favorite BL photos for possible publication. Likewise, all participants have been asked to send three favorites to the judges for inclusion in the exhibit, and I still have to choose those. It's exciting to finally be rolling out our work, after all those months of shooting -- but I have about 60 favorite pictures, and choosing my top three will be a challenge!

(Photo: It's wisteria season, as illustrated by this shapely specimen in St. John's Wood.)