Note: Links to previous reports about this story are available are at the bottom of this post.
From the NBC Washington:
After more than 250,000 unwanted books were trashed by Fairfax County, hundreds of Virginians gathered Wednesday, asking libraries to halt the seemingly wasteful act.
A fired-up crowd gathered at George Mason Library in Annandale, Va., some carrying protest signs, expressing outrage at the county for allowing the tossing of thousands of “unwanted” books, found inside a dumpster.
From The Washington Post:
As an overflow crowd of more than 200 watched, the Fairfax County library’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday night voted to suspend implementing the proposed “Strategic Plan” for the library system, pending more outreach to patrons and employees who felt left out of the process of preparing for the library’s future.
[Clip]
The Board of Supervisors also asked the board to review the library’s policy for discarding books, “to ensure that every usable book is either resold or redistributed,” which also drew applause when Jasper read it.
From the Fairfax News:
The Library Board was directed to include the following in its future planning:
The Library Board conduct an extensive outreach program to inform and educate the public and library employees regarding the proposed changes;
The outreach program be designed to consider the concerns raised by library users and employees as well as their input and suggestions;
The change proposals be modified, as deemed appropriate by the Library Board, to incorporate the input received during the public outreach process;
The Library Board not implement any change that would have a material impact on library users and/or library employees until the public outreach process is completed; and
The Library Board will review library discard practices and policies.
See Also: Fairfax County Library Revamps System, Discards Books, Reduces Librarians
Includes embed of strategic plan.
See Also: Fairfax County Public Library Tossed Thousands of Books in the Trash
About Gary Price
