Library-ish

This morning's T-P story about book donations was good enough to include some very necessary guidelines for those engaged in such benevolence.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

1. As a general rule, don't donate a book that you wouldn't buy. Make sure it's in acceptable condition.

2. Don't dump magazines and books outside buildings.

3. Don't donate old newspapers or magazines, even those National Geographics.

4. Don't donate old textbooks, law books or encyclopedias. Reference materials go out of date quickly.

5. Check about recorded media first. The Symphony Book Fair, for example, no longer accepts LP records.

6. Local public libraries are not accepting book donations at this time; library collections are very carefully chosen and books are processed according to strict library standards. Libraries need direct financial contributions. Donate books to Friends of the New Orleans Public Library or the Friends of the Jefferson Public Library.

This kind of public notice was sorely needed before Katrina and is now even more so. (I could tell you some pre-K horror stories about coming to work and suddenly being confronted with ten large boxen of old National Geographics which I had to find something to do with.. They're kind of fun to cut up for collage purposes but that only gets you so far... meanwhile they don't seem to sell very well so they just.. kind of live there with you... on your desk...for a very long time.) Currently the library... much like the RTA.. is operating with impossibly thin-stretched staffing. Meanwhile the amount of outside assistance.. particularly in the form of donated materials.. has been, well, overwhelming.... and I mean the lots and lots of truckloads variety of overwhelming. As usual, the library can best be helped by financial donations (or by gently suggesting that the city make it a higher priority) If you have books to donate, the Friends can always use them for the sale. The T-P article has several excellent suggestions as well.