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When should you throw a book away?

SFG75

SFG75

Well-Known Member
No sight is more depressing to me, than seeing librarians going through old stacks, culling books form the collection.:sad: I didn't know it, but age, old book covers that are unappealing, and other factors are used to determine whether or not a book stays on the shelves. I saved five books that were headed for the dustbin. Appealing covers or not, I don't care. You DON'T throw away Alvin Toffler!!

Personally, I have some books that have water damaged covers, coffee stained pages, missing pages, or are just plain worn out. So, when do you throw a book away?
 
I've thrown a few away that I got from a used store that were high-lighted and written in extensively. I can't a read a book like that and used stores shouldn't accept them.
 
Do you mean when do we toss personal books, or when should public library books get tossed? At my house, a book gets tossed when it's damaged beyond repair. I've had to toss moldering, coverless, and ripped copies of several Little House books...don't worry, we replaced them with fresher copies found on the sale cart at the library. I'm still holding onto my coverless copy of Sister Wendy's Story of Painting since it costs too much to easily replace it.
 
SFG75 said:
So, when do you throw a book away?
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When they are badly damaged or no longer relevant (books on old versions of software, old almanacs, Guinness Book of World Records, Encyclopedias, etc.). Of course really old almanacs and encyclopedias have collector's value.
 
Aqua-I could understand throwing away a contemporary fiction novel by the likes of Clancy, Koontz, or Danielle Steele. I would be the first one to burn the latter.

dude-I have kept my old college texts and I marked them up good in various shades of highlighter yellow, blue, and hyper-orange. That doesn't even count the plain pen underlining to REALLY emphasize the point. Now if you buy a book that is already marked up, then I chalk it up to being scrapped due to a previous idiot owning the book before me. You NEVER buy that book because you have no idea whether or not the person was a lunatic who flunked out of ECON 101. But enough about George W. Bush.

abec-I hear you, book reincarnation is a beautiful thing. At the same time, I can't throw away a tatttered classic with a great cover. Even if it is frayed, tattered, water damaged, or faded.:sad:
 
SFG75 said:
dude-I have kept my old college texts and I marked them up good in various shades of highlighter yellow, blue, and hyper-orange. That doesn't even count the plain pen underlining to REALLY emphasize the point. Now if you buy a book that is already marked up, then I chalk it up to being scrapped due to a previous idiot owning the book before me. You NEVER buy that book because you have no idea whether or not the person was a lunatic who flunked out of ECON 101. But enough about George W. Bush.
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Yeah and it's my fault for not opening the book first to see. That's happened to me twice. Maybe I'll actually learn my lesson on the third time.:lol:
 
I only throw away books that were mangled beyond reading (like the one's my dog shredded when she was a puppy.) Otherwise I donate them or I send them to my friend who I know loves to read who in turn donate's them.

I hate to throw away books. It seems such a waste.

My local library sell's their books that have been culled in order to raise funds for newer books. That's a great idea but requires a group of volunteer's willing to man the weekly book sale room.
 
SFG75 said:
abec-I hear you, book reincarnation is a beautiful thing. At the same time, I can't throw away a tatttered classic with a great cover. Even if it is frayed, tattered, water damaged, or faded.:sad:
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The ones we throw away are unusable....anything else gets boxed up to donate to library sales or goodwill.
 
booktags said:
I never throw books away. I just can't do it.
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I have 6-8 boxes of books I do not want. The used book stores don't want them. I don't even think the Goodwill wants them. They are destined for the county dumpster I think.
 
sparkchaser said:
I have 6-8 boxes of books I do not want. The used book stores don't want them. I don't even think the Goodwill wants them. They are destined for the county dumpster I think.
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Call up the county jail and see if they're interested in receiving your books for inmates. A few years ago, a friend was collecting reading material of all kinds and for all ages, so that inmates would have stuff to read. He said they even welcomed children's books so that inamates could read to their kids during family visitation. Just an idea.
 
Did that last year. The local jail did not accept hardcover and the softcover I didn't give them were things nobody in their right mind would read today.
 
sparkchaser said:
Did that last year. The local jail did not accept hardcover and the softcover I didn't give them were things nobody in their right mind would read today.
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Then the landfill might be the best place..unless you want to have a bonfire party before you flee the country. We usually have one each year. We have to get a burn permit from the local county fire department, but we'll have weeny roast with the brush from last year's garden.
 
I don't throw books away.

If it is one I no longer want or didn't like, I either sell it or donate it to the local library.
 
I've thrown away books in the past because I didn't like their content, but I won't do that again. A book would have to be damaged for me to throw it away.

Even my old "QBasic for Dummies" is staying. It's sure to become a collectors item and make me millions of dollars.
 
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