The preceding photos were taken by an FCPL volunteer at the Technical Operations ("TechOps") facility of the FCPL at Chantilly. They show a variety of books, especially children's books, in good or better condition that were thrown in a dumpster behind TechOps for destruction.
More on this story will be forthcoming.
Discarding books that are in good condition, up-to-date, and being read is inexcusable.
ReplyDeleteDiscarding books that are water-damaged, crayoned, ripped, or otherwise would take more time to repair than replace is good collection management. Discarding inaccurate, out-of-date non-fiction books--especially children's books--is responsible librarianship/education practice.
It's gratifying to know that the library has so many devoted friends who want to protect the library's collection, but just posting photos is simplistic and may do more harm than good. Airing grievances in such an inflammatory, public way is not constructive.
Thanks to everyone who is making an effort to ensure the library manages its resources well. Please discuss this with your local branch manager and library administration.
I'm a librarian at a branch of FCPL. My comments do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of FCPL or Fairfax County.
I would like to suggest that, in order for your journalism to be considered informed and responsible, you undertake an immersion course in volunteer work (specifically working in several of the Friends' book sale operations at different libraries) for a month or so in order to get a more complete understanding of the operations, a better understanding of what the volunteers face on a weekly basis, a better understanding of the interactions between library staff and volunteers, and a better understanding of why some books do get thrown away. Keep in mind that most of these volunteers are book lovers ... throwing away decent books is anathema to them ... but sometimes it is the only way left (your immersion course will teach you why). You might want to also investigate the revenue generated by these book sales (which will show you that many thousands of books ARE recycled through the sales and not thrown away). You might also want to try and identify groups which are able and willing to absorb large quantities of used books (and are willing to come and get them). Book sale people through the years, at all the different libraries, have tried and identified very few ... those that have been identified do get many, many books. The problem is, and always has been, one of scale. It is true that photographs don't lie. It's also true that you can't tell a book by its cover. The pictures you have published here have no back story with them. Which I think irresponsible and perhaps a knee-jerk reaction. Once you've immersed yourself in the process I suggest you'd have a whole new understanding and appreciation of the situation. (I'm an 18-year volunteer working a Friends' book sale operation and my views are just that ... mine.)
ReplyDeleteFor Anon at 2:33PM:
ReplyDeleteActually, the back story is available in the next post. Check it out: http://www.reston2020.blogspot.com/2013/09/library-friends-efforts-to-stop.html .
The photography was the last of many efforts by volunteer Tresa Schlect to get FCPL to stop destroying "good" (current, decent condition, etc.) books, especially children's books. Re book sales in particular, Ms. Schlect was denied the opportunity to preserve these books for a Friends book sale.
Hope that clarifies the photos a little.
Would have been very helpful, and certainly more responsible, to have that 'back story' posted along WITH the photographs - instead of just the modest text that does accompany them.
ReplyDeleteI've worked in a library and know that you can only judge a book's condition by seeing the inside. I've opened books and found water damage, mold, pencil, pen, and crayon marks, and food residue. Plus, the information contained in the pages might be out of date or inaccurate. I appreciate what the Friends' group is doing, but there may be more to the story here.
ReplyDeleteSome of the comments in response to this posting continue the same falsehoods and half-truths which the
ReplyDeleteFairfax County Public Library has relied upon for the past year while trashing thousands of perfectly good books.
The person who took the photos is a longtime Friend/volunteer at both the George Mason and Tysons-Pimmit libraries. She has also been a tireless provider of books to shelters, charter schools and many other charities for many years. She knows the difference between useless books and useable books . She examined the books in the Chantilly dumpster several different times and found many good quality books being trashed each and every time.
Just last week Supervisor Linda Smyth , the Providence District representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, went to Chantilly on two different days and on each visit found many books in the dumpster in excellent condition. These included a Newberry Award winning children's book, a book with a gift plate indicating it was donated by a library patron, a beautiful over sized reference book on gardening , and multiple books on art. Smyth was so angry to see good books being trashed that she took some examples to County Executive Ed Long and the Deputy County Executive who oversees libraries and had the trashing of good books by Fairfax County Public Libraries stopped.
It has been a lie put forth for the last year that EVERYTHING being trashed was outdated or in bad condition. That lie should stop being repeated.
Recently the Friends of the libraries have been receiving an occasional few boxes of discarded library books for their sales. These are books that until recently would have been trashed. Hopefully now ALL useable discarded books will be given to the library Friends for them to sell or pass on to charities as they see fit.
Last week Fairfax County Supervisor Linda Smyth visited the same dumpster at Chantilly Library. She had heard books in good condition were being dumped. She went twice and collected books both times. They were not damaged in the least and they were representative of what was in the dumpster. Don't take my word for it, call her office and ask.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, there is more to the story.
Kathy Kaplan
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