Library Used Books Drive

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By Damaris Chapin-Berner

Libraries routinely remove books with outdated content from their collections. This library has taken advantage of readily available alternatives by partnering with Better World Books library discards and donations program. This organization is in the business of recycling library discards by redirecting them to different populations.

Deacessioning projects require libraries to evaluate usage, currency and format/content issues for best access to their collections. Annually, the Claire T. Carney Library undertakes subject area reviews resulting in the withdrawal of 2,000 or so volumes from the collection. The withdrawn books are shipped to the BWB warehouse in Indiana where they are sorted with those of 350 other academic and community libraries nationwide. This included Harvard, Stanford and Yale-- nice to know our books are in good company. BWB absorbs the shipping costs and resells a small portion of books. 15% of the profits are returned to the libraries and 5% are sent to a world literacy-focused charity. Because of the large number of volumes they receive, they can economically channel unsold books to non-profit literacy charities in Africa and Latin America where the demand for books is high. Our first year's contributions realized a return of approximately $300.00 to the library with an additional $100.00 sent to a world literacy effort. Although the value realized for the books is small, BWB offers an alternative to the landfill. This year, we are sending a new shipment of 100 cartons.

Another option for donations not added to our collection is the Claire T. Carney Library Book Sale located on the first floor. It is an opportunity to raise funds for the library and disperse replaced volumes that are weeded from the collection. Donations of your used books are welcome, as well as serials, DVDs, CDs, videotapes, and books-on-tape. The sale is ongoing and the price is $1.00 per item. Books can be delivered to the library 3rd floor Technical Services Department. The past year 750 titles were donated to the book sale shelf raising $615.00 for the library.

Environmental Resources

Claire T. Carney Library is now subscribed to the GreenFile database. This is a free bibliographic database of information about the environmental topics with more than 200 titles and 300,000 records.

For more information about the library's green initiatives, please contact at Damaris Chapin-Berner: dberner@umassd.edu