[Misc] Library donation [or not]

[essbee1]

I had a very nice book, almost new, that I thought might be a good thing to give to a library
earlier today. Would cost 30 quid in a bookshop.

After waiting for 5 minutes while someone argued the toss about what was or wasn't valid id, I was looking
forward to handing over the tome and doing my bit for the community, albeit in a small way.

"We don't accept donations" was the reply from the Librarian.

I couldn't believe it. So, next time you hear that libraries are struggling badly, don't
hear a word of it. I half expected to find the library toilet rolls to be a wad of £10 notes,
diamond encrusted toilet seats and a gold trim on the towel racks.

Money to burn they have, clearly.

I gave it to a charity shop.

 

[Coldeanseagull]

I had to google the word 'library'. besides being a famous football ground, I realised it was a place to store old paper!
Oh, the days before the interweb

 

[AmexRuislip]

I had a very nice book, almost new, that I thought might be a good thing to give to a library
earlier today. Would cost 30 quid in a bookshop.

After waiting for 5 minutes while someone argued the toss about what was or wasn't valid id, I was looking
forward to handing over the tome and doing my bit for the community, albeit in a small way.

"We don't accept donations" was the reply from the Librarian.

I couldn't believe it. So, next time you hear that libraries are struggling badly, don't
hear a word of it. I half expected to find the library toilet rolls to be a wad of £10 notes,
diamond encrusted toilet seats and a gold trim on the towel racks.

Money to burn they have, clearly.

I gave it to a charity shop.

You could always donate it to one of the million charity shops on my local high street

 

[essbee1]

You could always donate it to one of the million charity shops on my local high street

Ruislip is actually a lovely high street, if I'm not mistaken.

Hey AR - my Dad had a huge amount of carrots off his allotment this year - a bumper crop. Tomatoes and runners
were very, very bad this year, however. Funny how the weather affects the crops so much.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

"We don't accept donations" was the reply from the Librarian.

Strange. They used to. I'm given the Booker Prize winner every year for Christmas and these invariably go to the Library.

 

[LadySeagull]

Donate it to a local state school library; they take donations of newish books if of interest to the age group (e.g. sixth form college if not a children's book).

 

[clapham_gull]

I had a very nice book, almost new, that I thought might be a good thing to give to a library
earlier today. Would cost 30 quid in a bookshop.

After waiting for 5 minutes while someone argued the toss about what was or wasn't valid id, I was looking
forward to handing over the tome and doing my bit for the community, albeit in a small way.

"We don't accept donations" was the reply from the Librarian.

I couldn't believe it. So, next time you hear that libraries are struggling badly, don't
hear a word of it. I half expected to find the library toilet rolls to be a wad of £10 notes,
diamond encrusted toilet seats and a gold trim on the towel racks.

Money to burn they have, clearly.

I gave it to a charity shop.

My library is great, albeit 5 mins away.

I mostly use it for printing as they have 20 odd computers and printers.

I understand why my library wouldn't take donations. It ain't Oxfam.

 

[essbee1]

My library is great, albeit 5 mins away.

I mostly use it for printing as they have 20 odd computers and printers.

I understand why my library wouldn't take donations. It ain't Oxfam.

But I'm not dumping old clothes or tat on them am I. This was a pristine book.

 

[BNthree]

But I'm not dumping old clothes or tat on them am I. This was a pristine book.

Think it's a shame libraries don't take donations as I'd happily donate to them. Assume they'd have to have someone check it was a pristine book and they don't have the staff to do so. Or is it a "licensing" thing from publishers and they only allow libraries to loan certain versions of books?

I'd decided the best way to support my local libraries was to use them so have been getting lots of books from them. Brighton & Hove libraries have the a scheme where you can reserve a book online and have it delivered to your nearest library. Aso they have Libraries Extra which gives card holders extended access hours to libraries so you pick up/drop off books outside normal opening hours. It's a great service.

 

[clapham_gull]

But I'm not dumping old clothes or tat on them am I. This was a pristine book.

I understand but most libraries aren't run like that. They aren't a second hand book shop.

You'd be better off emailing them and asking them if they could make use of the book.

 

[essbee1]

I understand but most libraries aren't run like that. They aren't a second hand book shop.

Fair enough clapham.

 

[essbee1]

I have to admit as I picked the book up off the counter I rejoined in a loud voice with "oh I'll just put in the bin then"
[I was more than a little miffed]

The said librarian didn't like that, one little bit.
[I did give it to the charity shop next door]

 

[AmexRuislip]

Ruislip is actually a lovely high street, if I'm not mistaken.

Hey AR - my Dad had a huge amount of carrots off his allotment this year - a bumper crop. Tomatoes and runners
were very, very bad this year, however. Funny how the weather affects the crops so much.

Same here, toms were great but runners were very sparse, even though we did water well!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

my Dad had a huge amount of carrots off his allotment this year - a bumper crop.

Did he consider donating them to the library?

 

[Brovion]

As an aside - how many people on here still use public libraries for research or to borrow books? I can't remember the last time I went into a library, indeed I'm not even sure where the Brighton one is as I haven't been there since it used to be in the Dome / Corn Exchange complex. If people (like Clapham) are only going in to use the computers is it possible that councils can save money by scrapping all the books, concentrating on digital media and downsizing the premises?

(I'm guessing that given the conservative, reactionary nature of us Brits any such proposal would be met with howls of outrage, even though public libraries are no longer the vitally important utilities they once were)

 

[pearl]

As an aside - how many people on here still use public libraries for research or to borrow books? I can't remember the last time I went into a library, indeed I'm not even sure where the Brighton one is as I haven't been there since it used to be in the Dome / Corn Exchange complex. If people (like Clapham) are only going in to use the computers is it possible that councils can save money by scrapping all the books, concentrating on digital media and downsizing the premises?

(I'm guessing that given the conservative, reactionary nature of us Brits any such proposal would be met with howls of outrage, even though public libraries are no longer the vitally important utilities they once were)

B*ll*x, Brighton Library is always busy! And it's on that square near the Prince Regent pool.

 

[pearl]

I had a very nice book, almost new, that I thought might be a good thing to give to a library
earlier today. Would cost 30 quid in a bookshop.

After waiting for 5 minutes while someone argued the toss about what was or wasn't valid id, I was looking
forward to handing over the tome and doing my bit for the community, albeit in a small way.

"We don't accept donations" was the reply from the Librarian.

I couldn't believe it. So, next time you hear that libraries are struggling badly, don't
hear a word of it. I half expected to find the library toilet rolls to be a wad of £10 notes,
diamond encrusted toilet seats and a gold trim on the towel racks.

Money to burn they have, clearly.

I gave it to a charity shop.

I took a bag of books to the first charity shop I came to and they said they no longer take books. Luckily the next one did

 

[KZNSeagull]

As an aside - how many people on here still use public libraries for research or to borrow books? I can't remember the last time I went into a library, indeed I'm not even sure where the Brighton one is as I haven't been there since it used to be in the Dome / Corn Exchange complex. If people (like Clapham) are only going in to use the computers is it possible that councils can save money by scrapping all the books, concentrating on digital media and downsizing the premises?

(I'm guessing that given the conservative, reactionary nature of us Brits any such proposal would be met with howls of outrage, even though public libraries are no longer the vitally important utilities they once were)

We use our local library a lot and they are always busy. They do a book and audio book ordering service, large print books and often hold story times for the local schools etc. No way should they be scrapped or downsized. They should be expanded.

 

[McTavish]

As an aside - how many people on here still use public libraries for research or to borrow books? I can't remember the last time I went into a library, indeed I'm not even sure where the Brighton one is as I haven't been there since it used to be in the Dome / Corn Exchange complex. If people (like Clapham) are only going in to use the computers is it possible that councils can save money by scrapping all the books, concentrating on digital media and downsizing the premises?

(I'm guessing that given the conservative, reactionary nature of us Brits any such proposal would be met with howls of outrage, even though public libraries are no longer the vitally important utilities they once were)

I go to the library most weeks to borrow books for me and talking books for my Mother-in-Law who has recently gone blind. I would go more but cuts have meant that my local library has reduced hours over the weekend making it more difficult to visit.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

East Sussex council are clearly not burning money. Seven out of 24 libraries have been closed.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-sussex-43303795