the local library to allow my DH to pay my fine?

Duh!

Exactly Grannyactivist exactly

You can renew the books online, Flower. The fine will then be held over until the next time you can visit the library.

Sounds bloody daft to me!

I do renew on line merlotgran and this one was but it still had a couple of days of fine as I renewed a little late. Still seems daft to me too.

Red tape gone mad!

Makes you wonder why they allow just anyone to pick up someone else's prescription from the chemist...

I would phone and ask to speak to the chief librarian or whoever! What would they do if the borrower was housebound and their books were always collected & returned by someone else?

That's daft! DH has returned my books, renewed them using my card etc with no problem.

Time to complain!

Totally ridiculous! Some people actually have no idea what the Data Protection Act covers and what it is for. They are just so frightened of the claim culture that they use "data protection" as a blanket cover (though who they think would want to sue someone for paying their library fine, I can't imagine?!?!?). If it had been a female relative returning the book and paying the fine they would have had no idea it wasn't you and would have been very happy to take the money. Madness, but not totally unsurprising in this silly country we now live in.

Think that should be "not totally surprising" - beware of double negatives, aaargh!

How flippin' ridiculous! Isn't the library on the side of those whose husbands run errands for them?! I'd go there and tell them to catch a wake up.

I think MrsSB is right re. the blanket cover approach. It would appear that the phrase is trotted out willy nilly.

Mr P phoned an agency that do all the recruitment for the local water company, just to ask the person who he always dealt with if she had happened to keep a copy of the reference he had received from "xyz" (he thought it would save mr xyz the bother of having to provide another one)

Her reply was "Sorry Mr P, I can't tell you that because of data protection"

Well, I would tell you what I thought of this library and it's rules and regulations BUT the Data Protection Act forbids it. In other words........
the computer says NO.

I used to work in a large public library years ago, and let me tell you, they would have been grateful for even the neighbour to come in and pay the fine for you!The two large porters who worked for the library used to be sent round to the homes of reluctant payers of fines to hammer on the door to try and recover the money.This was of course, as a last resort, but it did prove very effective, and the householder was usually out of hospital in a day or two! [Last bit a joke.]Surprising how many did pay up at the door though!

I used to put on a telephone shaky voice trying to sound like a 90yr old if my mother needed me to enquire/complain/pester on her behalf. These days I don't need to pretend.

I do intend to ring them today xx

Yes some people use data protection as a blanket excuse. Sometimes they mean confidentiality. But in this case, I agree, complain to the head librarian or even your local councillor (find out who they are on writetothem.co.uk)

I'd ask what data is being protected. They won't have an answer. People are allowed to do each other good turns like paying library fines.

Or, double bluff them by saying you are exercising your right to ask under the Freedom of Information Act of 2000.

Sent e-mail to Herts Library Service. Had phone call from nice lady who said that my DH should have been allowed to pay my fine especially as he had my library card with him. She is going to retrain the staff at Letchworth Library' She also halved my fine as I was unwell when books were due.

Sounds like a sensible plan!

Good result, Flower.

Glad to hear that the issue is resolved.

Sounds like the librarian was a real 'jobsworth'.

I had a similar issue a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to send a packet by Royal Mail, recorded delivery.

The assistant weighed the packet and told me the charge, and I asked could I pay with some postage stamps I already had.

She said I couldn't use them as they used special recorded delivery stamps.

I was dog-walking and never take out cash, when I explained, she did allow me to use the stamps in my pocket.

Have never come across this before, and no assistants have asked since. But I thought that this particular assistant was going a bit over the top.