Books ... no longer a treasure?

Bus Dweller · #1 24.04.2012, 22:53

I was rather horrified today to find out that the only use a charity shop would have for a couple of hundred books I needed to clear out was.. To weigh them in. They get so much a ton

Apparently this has been going on a while as there is no real market anymore for second hand books.... Of any genre!

I then visited a clothes bank to deposit clothing and noticed next to it a book bank from a charity for the same purpose. It was full and loads of books were stacked all around it.

I have always treasured and respected books, but now they are broken up for their raw material, just like silver and gold jewelry.

A sad world ?

Digger · #2 25.04.2012, 01:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bus Dweller

I was rather horrified today to find out that the only use a charity shop would have for a couple of hundred books I needed to clear out was.. To weigh them in. They get so much a ton

Apparently this has been going on a while as there is no real market anymore for second hand books.... Of any genre!

I then visited a clothes bank to deposit clothing and noticed next to it a book bank from a charity for the same purpose. It was full and loads of books were stacked all around it.

I have always treasured and respected books, but now they are broken up for their raw material, just like silver and gold jewelry.

A sad world ?

Yes it is sad or seemingly so.

You have to admit that the internet has reduced the need (demand) for as many books, though not necessarily (or much at all) because people are reading their novels online (though Kindle use is growing), but because people are doing a lot of reading in general (even of forums) in much of their free time.

The internet has been of massive benefit to me in researching technical and educational stuff which I wouldn't have known where to find elsewhere, or not have the time to look. The library is one place, but in a smallish town, the chances of finding out some stuff would be minimal.

It's at least five years ago now when I was told by a charity shop - 'there isn't much call for books anymore....!' Hence they didn't want the books I was offering and I had to take them back with me.

What a difference 5 years maybe makes and now there is a commercial gain to be made from the scrap value of paper.

From another point of view, the reduced demand (and so manufacture) of books is a great relief on the demand for paper - and so trees.

The downside to it all is the reduction in culture and learning that is a symptom of an increasingly decadent society. It's not as if all these people now on the internet are using it as an alternative to what would otherwise be book-reading. Having said that, many people never read books anyway and wouldn't be doing so if there was no internet ever invented. The situation with reading consumption does however seem worse than ever.

If you do ever have books that you would like to pass along and fear their destruction for scrap, try the local hospitals first. They often have their own small libraries for patients and accept book donations. That's where I've taken a couple of boxes of books over the last few years.

wizard1luv · #3 25.04.2012, 06:29

oooooh, books, list some here g, we've had book offers and there's always been takers.

Red Fox · #4 25.04.2012, 06:41

I have an unsubstantiated feeling that the majority of books donated to charity shops are "junk" (Im not suggesting yours are btw, just generally). The fact is, is that an awful lot of publishing these days is of "pulp" rather than literature. The output of books has massively increased (notwithstanding the decline in the last couple of years) over the last 30 odd years. Because most of the output is disposable that is what happens to it-disposed of. Real books are still cared for and treasured. You only have to look on Amazon Marketplace to see how secondhand books are sought after (i have a small seller account on their myself as i can only keep so many in the trailer). I recently sold a couple of Crop Circle books for £50 and £30 respectively. I used this "windfall" to buy an out of print edition for £125. I think it is subject matter dependant myself.
I would seriously suggest, if you havent done so BD, that you open up a seller account and apart from donating some to TL memebers as Wiz suggested, at least you'll know they wont end up in landfill or pulped

.

When the shtf we'll need hard copies of the most useful and loved books anyway; one day there'll be no means to read cyber copies.

Bus Dweller · #5 25.04.2012, 07:23

Just to clarify, they were not actually my books, just left over stock from last years selling, and they have now been passed to another seller. But thank you for the advice, always far better to gift than chuck!

The point that saddened me was that the charities I contacted had no intention of even looking at them selectively. They would just be weighed in without a second look. Likewise at the recyling book bank... Just dumped. I agree with RF that there are books... And there are proper books! However one relies on the taste of the owner to decide what is worth keeping. Do doubt the eastenders annual alongside the x factor book is key collecting for some! Whereas an odd dickens is for the tip. Some books are going to become irreplaceable?

wizadora · #6 25.04.2012, 07:39

I have a mate who works in a charity shop and every two weeks they change the books on the shelves. The books taken off are sold for scrap and the money raised goes into the charity. I can see both sides, as digger has said - the paper is recycled so it lessens the impact of tree felling but also it reduces the learning that is gained by reading. I would rather read from a book than a puter screen, to be able to hold a book and turn the pages is a small pleasure in life. I find that if I read at length from a puter screen it hurts my eyes-a sign of old age i wonder?
Hubby and I have been debating whether to have a book case on the stall for book swapping. To have a selection of books for folk to browse and if there is a book some one wants they exchange it for a book they no longer need allowing the sharing of knowledge and pleasure of book reading to continue. Only down side to this is, where do we keep the books in between festies as space here is very limited, we are literally full to the rafters as it is!

wizadora · #7 25.04.2012, 07:40

Just a thought, if any one has any rupert annuals/books they no longer want I'll find them a home!!

dryad · #8 25.04.2012, 09:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by wizadora

Just a thought, if any one has any rupert annuals/books they no longer want I'll find them a home!!

have been looking at rupert annuals in a different light after what you said about them, had no idea that some of them are worth literally hundreds and hundreds of pounds to collectors..

had a few when i was a child, then they were passed down to my sister and then my brother, would be nice to be able to share the old, old gentle stories with grandchildren if i had any, wondering if the new annuals have the same charm..

rainbomama · #9 25.04.2012, 11:30

i love love love books we have....well rather a lot..but...my kindle is invaluable on the boat where space is precious,i for 1 will not be totally converted.and wizzy where will the anuals be going my ds has out grown a lot of beanos,he gave some to his mate who lost all his stuff in a house fire,but has quite a few left to re home xx

Benzine · #10 25.04.2012, 08:32

It's a shame that so many books are being pulped. I do, however, fully support the pulping of Jeremy Clarkson, celebrity biographies and Dan Brown books

Occasionally I find the odd gem in charity shop book sections. I've even found a couple of good gardening books (amongst the 1000 copies of "how to grow indoor plants")

Anyone want the first 3 books from Conn Iggulden's Emperor series? or the The Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb?