Looking at the secondhand book trade publications today I noticed a couple if things of a more general interest.
The first is that “Wiltshire County Council has been disposing of good books to a landfill site. It was disclosed this morning in a local newspaper that Wiltshire County Council has sent some 300 children's books to the waste tip - and some are in near perfect condition. Local tax payers may well ask questions, as is their right, but this action will doubtless anger most members of the secondhand book trade who were not asked to bid - including those `charity shops' who would have loved to get their hands on such stock for next to nothing”.
Ed. It would be interesting to know what Kent County Council do with excess stock.
The second “the massive firestorms (all 16 of them) that are raging across the western states tonight, it will difficult to grasp the colossal impact and losses both to property and residents. Our sympathies to all those affected.
There was bound to be massive losses if only because of the sheer size of the affected areas. One of the first to be reported, is a unique collection in Malibu of Elvis Presley memorabilia. The owner only had time to grab one major item before she fled - his army uniform. Lilly Lawrence told the American press that 32 original movie scripts with Presley's personal annotated notes and original song sheets had been lost.
It is sad that this will not be the only loss of unique archives, books, ephemera and memorabilia.”
Finally Christie's in London recorded today a world record price for J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: an exceptionally rare first edition that realised £19,700.
The first is that “Wiltshire County Council has been disposing of good books to a landfill site. It was disclosed this morning in a local newspaper that Wiltshire County Council has sent some 300 children's books to the waste tip - and some are in near perfect condition. Local tax payers may well ask questions, as is their right, but this action will doubtless anger most members of the secondhand book trade who were not asked to bid - including those `charity shops' who would have loved to get their hands on such stock for next to nothing”.
Ed. It would be interesting to know what Kent County Council do with excess stock.
The second “the massive firestorms (all 16 of them) that are raging across the western states tonight, it will difficult to grasp the colossal impact and losses both to property and residents. Our sympathies to all those affected.
There was bound to be massive losses if only because of the sheer size of the affected areas. One of the first to be reported, is a unique collection in Malibu of Elvis Presley memorabilia. The owner only had time to grab one major item before she fled - his army uniform. Lilly Lawrence told the American press that 32 original movie scripts with Presley's personal annotated notes and original song sheets had been lost.
It is sad that this will not be the only loss of unique archives, books, ephemera and memorabilia.”
Finally Christie's in London recorded today a world record price for J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone: an exceptionally rare first edition that realised £19,700.
Nothing new there - when I ran a transport firm in York in the late 70s, one of my lucky copmpetitors was contracted to clear about 10 transit van loads of books from the British Library Lending Division nearby. He wasn't daft, and being the BL, they were all first editions of one sort or another, so local bookdealers got a lucky strike - as did Dave who was able to sell much of what he was being paid to take to the tip.
ReplyDeleteMost library withdrawals aren't much value to be fair, numerous labels and stamps, well used and probably bound in sticky plastic, but certainly good enough for a charity shop to consider even if not a proper dealer...
It still hurts to image them being slung on a tip though. Might be worth a mailshot to all the head librarians in Kent offering disposal and valuation services.
Zumi proper recycling is the key here, in the bookshop surplus stock goes in the sale section right at the back at paperbacks 5p hardbacks 10p what doesn’t sell goes to the paper mill for pulping.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely - re-sell, then re-use, then re-cycle.
ReplyDelete