Death by Dumpster

I went to donate books to my library for their book sale and was dismayed to see a dumpster full of books! I asked about it and was told that they just got too many copies of The Da Vinci Code and books like that. I understand that libraries have to weed outdated textbooks, computer books, etc., but I still consider throwing books in a dumpster a crime! 😠 #crimesagainstcovers

Erinsuereads

BiblioLitten 😤😢 makes me sad and angry. 7y

JulAnna I don't like to see it either, but you might be interested in a new episode of the Annotated podcast from Book Riot. They discuss this very topic. 7y

kgriffith Libraries have to be very intentional with their limited space, and don‘t have the budget or resources to triage books. It helps to consider whether you would want to check that book out, and if so, whether or not the library already has it available. We get rid of books we don‘t want or don‘t have room for: the library has to do the same, on behalf of the entire community it serves. Prison and hospital libraries can often use donations, though! 7y

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ReadingSusan As a librarian this happens and there is usually a good reason. Don‘t underestimate how many people donate moldy books or books with bed bugs or worse roaches. 🤮 7y

TrishB Definitely not right. 7y

Kimzey 😱 Nooooooooo! 7y

jpmcwisemorgan See if you can take some for book art! 7y

MKbookworm 😱 7y

rubyslippersreads @kgriffith @ReadingSusan Logically, I understand, but emotionally, it‘s painful. 😊 (edited) 7y

saresmoore Yikes. 7y

Dolly Yes, I listened to the Annotated podcast #14 too. When you‘re brought up respecting books it‘s hard to take, but what they say makes sense. Still...☹️ 7y

rubyslippersreads @JulAnna @Dolly My brain might understand, but my heart doesn‘t want to. 😕 7y

jillrhudy Our Friends of the Library have to take a ton of trouble getting rid of books they can‘t sell, just so no one will ever see them in the dumpster. It would be great if people would throw their own gross books in the trash instead of giving them to us. Fire is too good for a lot of ‘em. We are talking biohazards. 7y

Coleen Seems to me GIVING them away would be a better option...??! 🤷‍♀️ 7y

LibrarianRyan @Coleen people seem to think that once a library sale is over we should just give the books away. Guess what most done want them. We let any and all nonprofits come take what they want for free and still no takers. We changed it up to a take what you want pay what you can and still hundreds of books leftover. Saving for next year doesn't work either because if people didn't want them this year they probably won't want them next year. 👇🏻 7y

LibrarianRyan People suggest things like better world books and other organizations like that, but the shipping is preventative. A library doesn't want to use all the money raised in a book sale to pay to ship the Unwanteds somewhere else. It sucks. But it's the truth. 7y

Aloisi_tribe I work at a library on a military base. Because all of our books and materials are considered federal government property, we are not allowed to sell or donate them. We have to recycle or destroy (scratch through the backs of DVDs and CDs) anything that we get rid of. We‘re currently in the process of a major weeding of the whole library and literally recycled 40% of our nonfiction collection. It hurts my heart. 7y

bookish.escape Wow, that is sad. I wonder why they can‘t donate them to Goodwill, local schools, hospitals and things like that. 7y

CarolynM The problem with giving things away is someone still has to want them and unfortunately there are a lot of books no-one wants anymore. I imagine that a lot of the books that are donated in large numbers were once very fashionable but are now considered very uncool. 7y

MemoirsForMe 😱😱😱 7y

RavenLovelyReads Oh no!! At least look up a Free Little Library list and fill them up- or how about a “free” pile? People would love a free book! 😡 monsters! 7y

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