I always had the largest book collection out of my friends and they always wanted to borrow stuff. After losing one or wo books I worked out a system similar to Pencilpushers, only more like a library. They give you 2 weeks , I give you 2 weeks. You pay when your late, I punish you when your late (Like not letting them borrow for a few days or making them return early).
It may make me seem like a tottally anal person, but I have a certain heartstring attachments to my books and I want them to be respected.
The system has gone on pretty well for lke 10 years, with very few complaints.
I hate loaning books more than anything, because the asshole you loan it to will read the first few chapters, then lose interest or whatever, and when you ask for it back, it’s “but I’m not finished yet!” Either hand it over or sit your ass down and get to work!
Yep; I’ve been there - sorry to say that I now have to resort to sticking ‘On loan from Mangetout’ labels in books and on video tapes; before that, I’d lost a couple after asking for them back and the borrower says (quite earnestly) “I thought I gave it back to you, then bought my own copy because I liked it so much”, or (on one occasion) “No, you borrowed it off me, then gave it back”.