What happens when library get too many books?

Question

Library is just like like building with the maximum occupancy. Has there been any library that collect too many books that they have to throw some of them out?

Answer 1

Periodically, libraries weed their collections to make room for new books. They remove books that a) have not been checked out for 10-20 years, depending on the library, b) books that are so worn that the pages are falling out and c) books with old/out of date information.

Most public libraries have "Friends of the Library" organizations where they sell weeded books or donated books that the library doesn't have a use for. If the books are too worn to sell, librarians either throw the books out or recycle them.

Answer 2

Good question! Most libraries have to weed their collections from time to time. Mainly this is to remove items that are not being used.

Libraries often buy huge numbers of books by popular authors to handle the initial demand, and then after a year or so remove most of the 67 copies they bought. That may seem wasteful to some, but believe me, it is easier than not having them and getting a lot of complaints about the length of the reserve list.

Some material must/should be kept and if room runs out, those will be placed into storage, but available should some one need them. Also, some libraries expand and the overflow is handled that way.

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Answer 3

Many libraries hold annual book sales. People come in and buy the old books dirt cheap. The library earns a little extra money and frees up their space for books that are newer and more in demand.

Libraries rarely just throw books out - even if they don't have book sales themselves, they usually belong to a district of other libraries, and can send the old books to be sold at other locations.

Answer 4

At my old library they always had a box of old books that they sold one for like 69 cents each.

Answer 5

They are donated or go up for sale.

Hopefully, in light of all the places books could be donated, none get thrown away, but who knows...this is an awfully wasteful country :(

Answer 6

They usually have a book sale with extra books

Answer 7

they either send them back, donate them, or have a book sale for books that aren't checked often and make room for the new books.

Answer 8

when this happens, it is an indicator to government that the citizenry is thinking too much and becoming far too dangerous. this full library phenomenon is usually accompanied by banning 'huckleberry finn' and burning novels, poetry, religion/philosophy, and any non-fiction not written by tom clancy or referring to military aircraft awesomeness.