California: Alameda County Library Board Finds Alternative to Trashing Books

From KGO-TV:

At a meeting Wednesday evening, the library advisory board decided it was a good idea to contract Discover Books — which collects, resells or gives away the material. Regardless, book enthusiasts are still upset that an estimated 172,000 items were dumped in the trash.
“Many books are being pulled off the shelf without consideration for their value,” Dorthea Dorenz of Library Book Savers of Alameda County told the board.
However, Principal Librarian Deb Sicas told ABC7 News, “This is information that’s four years old. Financial information that’s four years old? I wouldn’t want to give this to somebody who’s actually trying to rebuild their finances.”
Rob Browning argued that every book has historical value and criticized the policy that trashes books that aren’t being used enough. He said to the board, “It’s a policy that guarantees the dumbing down of our cultural and intellectual heritage.”

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Direct to Alameda County Public Library Website

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