Reminds me of a memo sent by our college librarian, now long retired, warning that he was in the process of weeding out a variety of books. “And privately published poetry,” the memo concluded, “will be weeded with extreme prejudice.”
I think we need, somehow, to re-create Borges' library, which contains all books ever written or to be written (it was Borges, wasn't it?)...or maybe the library Terry Pratchett created in the Discworld books...
I married a Librarian (That Would Make A Good Title For A Movie)and they always bought umpteen copies of the latest bestseller, only to "de-accession" them a year or so later.
Does anyone these days go to the Library for Jacqueline Susann? Or Harold Robbins? Irving Wallace?
I'd be more sympathetic to the gist of the argument if more than half my original collection of Fritz Leiber books weren't deaccessioned public library hardcovers.
Well, usually cheap...I buy mine in library sales, usually. That's where my copies of THE BIG TIME, THE WANDERER, A SPECTER IS HAUNTING TEXAS and at least one or two others came from.
I go to the library for a lot of books, but nothing as weird as the ones in the article. I borrow, rather than buy, new and recent novels, things I discover on Friday Forgotten Books posts (if they have them) art books, plant books. Gee, if I bought all that stuff it would cost more than I could afford.
14 comments:
If you haven't seen their site, it's worth a look: http://awfullibrarybooks.net
And the comments--many from librarians--are also interesting and funny.
I spent some time on the site yesterday. Well worth a look, all right.
Psychic Sasquatch WBAGNFARB. I'd pay to see them.
Reminds me of a memo sent by our college librarian, now long retired, warning that he was in the process of weeding out a variety of books. “And privately published poetry,” the memo concluded, “will be weeded with extreme prejudice.”
John Duke
I think we need, somehow, to re-create Borges' library, which contains all books ever written or to be written (it was Borges, wasn't it?)...or maybe the library Terry Pratchett created in the Discworld books...
Just scroll through the self-published books on Amazon...if you dare.
I married a Librarian (That Would Make A Good Title For A Movie)and they always bought umpteen copies of the latest bestseller, only to "de-accession" them a year or so later.
Does anyone these days go to the Library for Jacqueline Susann? Or Harold Robbins? Irving Wallace?
Probably not, but still . . . I'd kinda like for them to be there.
I certainly might, rather than buying them.
I'd be more sympathetic to the gist of the argument if more than half my original collection of Fritz Leiber books weren't deaccessioned public library hardcovers.
I confess: some of those weeded Library books end up on my shelves. Who can resist FREE books????
I can't!
Well, usually cheap...I buy mine in library sales, usually. That's where my copies of THE BIG TIME, THE WANDERER, A SPECTER IS HAUNTING TEXAS and at least one or two others came from.
I go to the library for a lot of books, but nothing as weird as the ones in the article. I borrow, rather than buy, new and recent novels, things I discover on Friday Forgotten Books posts (if they have them) art books, plant books. Gee, if I bought all that stuff it would cost more than I could afford.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Weeding must be ruthless.
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