DAVENPORT, Iowa - A dumpster in downtown Davenport is filled with public library books that the library itself threw away, and that's prompting a lot of trash talk.
Davenport Public Library officials tell KWQC TV6 that approximately 4,000 books have been discarded as the library continues to upgrade to an automated sorting system that will save time and money, along with the backs of library employees who will spend less time sorting and returning books to shelves.
Converting to the new sorting system requires the library to review every book it has. In the process, the library is tossing those that are in poor physical condition or contain outdated information. In other words, books the library deems are no longer usable.
The story generated more than 100 comments in the first 10 minutes after it was posted on KWQC's Facebook fan page (http://on.fb.me/MW4lzn). Many comments are from upset book lovers like Dave Rhoades, who posted "This is stupid! Some of the books are close to new!!!" Rhoades added, "Looks like I'm going dumpster diving for books!"
Boo Dilly posted, "It doesn't matter to a child or any true book lover if [a book is] tattered or out of date....they would love to have a free book or two. Why throw them away?"
Kelsi Frajman, however, defended the library in her post, writing that "the books are in poor condition or outdated. Would you want your kids or anyone else learning outdated stuff?"
Davenport Public Library officials are assuring the public that any book that still has value will either be kept on the shelf or sold through Friends of the Library - never thrown away.
A dumpster in downtown Davenport, Iowa containing discarded books from the public library. Photo by Dave Rhoades
