Ouch. A firestorm on the Net has swirled around the idea of the Minneapolis Public Library using Mao as a posterboy. But it isn’t ending there. Now Minneapolis TV station KMSP has run the following story:
Library Throwing Away Books
These are strange times for the Minneapolis Public Library system. As they build a new one hundred twenty-five million dollar central library behind me a quarter of the staff’s been laid off. Library hours have been cut by a third. Just when you’d think they’d be holding on to every precious book, we found them throwing them away.
“Book on Orwell here.
If you live by the adage waste not, want not.
“Tennessee Williams, one of the great playwrights of our time.”
You might want to check out the dumpsters of Minneapolis public libraries…
Problem is, the library can’t even give them away because under state law: “if the library board decides not to sell or donate materials to another public (body), then a public sale is required.” No freebies allowed.
“Are you a big poet, we got E.E. Cummings. I think I’ll take one on poetry.”
But if the libraries hands are tied, ours are not. And we found plenty of takers…”
Yes, libraries are supposed to weed out old books, but couldn’t the MPL do a better job of choosing which deserve it? And how about the state changing its laws to let libraries be more flexible about book giveaways?
Needless to say, with the inifinite number of titles possible via a TeleRead-style arrangement in place, especially with date-based filtering, “weed out” would no longer be necessary. One more way in which electronic libraries could both save save tax money and help libraries serve patrons better!
Addressing the inevitable issue: TeleRead does not advocate immediate replacement of paper books with electronic ones. What’s more, old books should be given away or shipped to places such as India–perhaps even to aid digitization efforts. Someone somewhere will always need a book, whatever the medium and purpose.
We reported on this story before FOX 9 did–and yeah, it is an outrage. I mean, at least give them away, and if you need to change the law to do it, then CHANGE THE LAW!
Yep, you indeed did, and understandably some people are outraged. Granted, I do appreciate the other side. As some library types replying to the your story have observed, some books may have mold damage or be otherwise hard to place. Still, MPL probably could have done much better. Anyway, Vinny, keep up the good work. You did a service in raising the issue. Oh, and I see your site has an interesting history. May the day come when you folks can be a little less anonymous.