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On Mon, 3 Nov 2003, sbrisco wrote:

>
> There is a definite difference between selling outdated or older materials
> to individuals who WANT the materials (used book stores, antique stores,
> craft stores, etc.) and donating outdated materials to a group that needs
> quality library materials.  I'm sure that many of us have received donations
> from individuals or groups who truly believed that we would excitedly accept
> their 1970 World Book Encyclopedias in 1990 --- especially if we've worked
> in smaller or poorer school libraries.   Luckily I had policies in place to
> discard those items that I couldn't use---and we used the pictures in
> remaining books--if we could-- for art projects.

This is difficult for some to accept or understand.

A few years ago I started up a middle school library with virtually
no funds. One well meaning gentlemen drove to the city and returned
with a truck load of books that had been discarded from the state
mental institution 30 years earlier. Each one was clearly stamped,
"Discarded from (said institution)." He'd bring them in the front
door and my assistant and I would haul 'em out the back.

About the same time a group of state legislators came to visit
the school. I showed them one of my 1940s world atlases. One
legislator commented cheerfully, "Well, that's better than no
atlas at all! Looks good enough to me!"

I looked at him and asked, "Is it good enough for your kids?"

In the same district, another librarian and I spent some time weeding
several of the older libraries. As we sat together during those
days we dreamed of retiring and volunteering our time overseas.
Then it struck us:  We'd get situated in a some small needy
community somewhere and the donations would begin to arrive --
and they'd be all the books we had just weeded.

But we needn't have worried. The principals were horrified by
our weeding and insisted on keeping all the books, "Just in
case!! We might need them!!"



J. Rathbun, Librarian
Mojave High School
Clark County School District
Las Vegas, Nevada
Email: jrathbun@orednet.org
http://ccsd.net/schools/mojave/library

Leave it to Beaver was not a documentary.

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