[Publib] RE: checking out books to keep them from being weeded

[Nann Blaine Hilyard]

I was grateful for a generous weeding policy when I requested "The Sunday Gentleman" by Irving Wallace, which was owned by a neighboring library.

I learned about that book when I read Karen Abbott's "Sin in the Second City." She cited an interview that Wallace had with Everleigh sisters, by then long-retired and residents of Manhattan.  I was curious to read what Wallace had written, and was able to get the book. I found out that before he wrote bestselling novels (The Prize, The Fan, etc.) and edited "The Book of Lists," he was wrote for magazines such as Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post. It was those human interest stories that were compiled in "The Sunday Gentleman."  His writing is superb and could (should!) be held up as an example in writing courses today.

But, back to weeding:  many libraries would have discarded "The Sunday Gentleman" long ago:  few circs, the gloss long gone from the mylar jacket.  I'm glad that particular library had retained it. 

Nann
@the library in Zion, Illinois 


-----Original Message-----
From: publib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:publib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Theyer, Hillary
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 7:27 PM
To: 'publib at webjunction.org'
Subject: [Publib] checking out books to keep them from being weeded

Now on the other hand, I just checked out from our main library a rebound copy of Jubilee Trail by Gwen Bristow, because it was recommended as a readalike for another book I just read.  Filthy rebound copy, copyright MCML (1950?), 564 dense pages, we've had it ages as I can tell from the stamps and such, and yet, it still circulates, so I was able to get it.  But, because it still circulates.....
I think of reading this way - books are sometimes brain candy, and sometimes brain broccoli.  You don't want a diet of exclusively one or the other, you need them both.  An entirely brain candy library would get boring, but so would an entirely brain broccoli library.