The International Schools Review Forum

I'm going through the checkout procedure at my current school and I'm missing some textbooks assigned to me 3 years ago. This is China and textbooks are expensive but the missing books are 3 years old and in used condition and they only issue new textbooks to students.

How much of the original cost do you think it is fair to agree to pay? Given that they only issue new textbooks to students, I'm thinking I'll offer 25% of the original cost and 0% of shipping related costs.

Does that sound reasonable?

There are a few factors here that we don’t know, and it’s quite disturbing to me that the school didn’t keep a closer eye. Annual or semi-annual check-ups are more typical so schools can maintain stock properly. However, you did sign these out and take responsibility.
You can offer whatever you like, but replacement cost, including shipping, is the typical charge when schools feel a teacher or student lost/damaged resources. Like it or not, the school will take the money from your final settlement, so you don’t really have control over the amount.
Try to negotiate, and don’t get your hopes too high.

At a public school I once offered candy bars for any turned in textbooks (most were lost when a sub failed to sign them out properly). I got them all, including a few lost a few years earlier by another teacher. I ended the year with more textbooks than I had to start. Maybe a similar policy will get them back? It cost me a few bucks in chocolate.

25% sounds reasonable to me, but probably not to your school.

Maybe you could find them second-hand on Amazon or elsewhere?
Some old textbooks are really, really cheap, so that might save you some money.

Youre better off trying to sweep the issue under the rug and pretend it doesnt exist, employing deception, and subterfuge. If you get called on it, play dumb, claim you returned them, never got them or some other excuse. As soon as you acknowledge responsibility for it, the IS is going to apply whatever policy they have to the issue, and typically as @Sid stated that means replacement cost and shipping. You really cant bargain or negotiate here, you have no leverage or angle you can pressure. The IS will deduct whatever the costs are from your final salary disbursement. The end of the year is the time the librarian can really make some coin and praise, in invoicing for unreturned circulating materials from ITs, especially the ones departing. There are some low tier ISs where a significant amount of the new materials budget for the library is based on charges for unreturned items.

I mean, sure, you could go the dishonest route. That's naturally the go-to, right?

Seriously, the candy bars and buying secondhand are worth a shot.

Years ago I've once found used textbook for courses I was teaching (also about 3 years old then) for as low as $2,99 per book, plus shipping.

The candy bars and buying second hand are worth a shot as a backup after you try getting out from under it.