Dirty Books in the Library

Recently one of our dedicated patrons provided feedback about "dirty books in the Library."  Yes, it's Valentine's Day and no, we are not talking about bodice-ripping romances that are very popular. He was talking about books that had been "violated with food stains and other deposits."

At the Library, we take great pride in the physical condition of our collections. We allocate a portion of our collection budget to replacing worn or damaged materials. We understand things happen and sometimes our materials get damaged (OK - confession time - I have fallen asleep in the bathtub with a Library book and yes, the book fell in the water ... oops).

We also check in over 1 million items each year. While we catch many damaged materials at checkin, we can't catch everything. We depend on our patrons to let us know if a book, DVD or other item needs to go to mending or be "retired" because of damage or "violation." The easiest way to let us know is to tape a note on the cover. A note will alert the people who check in Library materials that we need to route the item for further inspection and follow-up.

Happy Valentine's Day, happy reading in the bathtub, and please let us know if a Library item needs attention.