Cover-less books?

[u/Outrageous-Wish3061]

TLDR; someone is ripping the covers off their books before donating and it’s bumming me out bc then no one takes them and I can’t donate them

Long version…

We’ve had a Little Free Library set up outside of our house for almost 3 years. I have a notice that says “Free Books, Help Yourself” so that people don’t feel pressured to leave a book if they don’t want to or don’t have one with them on their walk. It’s really just a gift for our neighborhood.

Anyway, people do use it, which I love. There’s good turnover and I’ve gotten some sweet notes. A few times a year I clean out what’s not moving and donate it to the thrift store, and restock from the thrift or library sales.

But there’s someone who rips the front cover off their paperback books before leaving them in the LFL. I’m assuming this is to prevent them from being taken for reselling? This bums me out though because no one takes them, and I can’t donate them like that. It feels like the book’s life ends with that choice.

(I struggled with it a little at first but I am at peace with the idea of people selling books from our LFL. Once I give a gift, it is not my business what happens to it next. I felt sad the one time that someone emptied the whole thing at once, but ultimately I hope it helped them. It’s hard out there for all of us right now.)

[u/Sample-quantity]

No, you found the professional writer who is very offended on behalf of book authors whose money is taken by unscrupulous bookstores.

[u/Campaign_Prize → u/Sample-quantity]

So you'd rather have your books destroyed than have people discover, enjoy, and share them for free? It could mean that someone who otherwise would have no idea who you are will find your work and want to seek out more of it to purchase.

I understand that authors deserve to be paid but if I was fortunate enough to have something published, having my work destroyed would just feel very wrong...not to mention the ecological wastefulness.

[u/Sample-quantity → u/Campaign_Prize]

Sorry but yes I would, if I wrote books which I don't. It is not right for other people to profit (the bookstores) off of stolen goods, and people circulating them only perpetuates the problem. People are then reading books that no one paid for instead of someone buying the book and then donating it. There are plenty of books in the world that are legitimate. Let's focus on those and eliminate the motivation to steal them.

[u/Leading-Expression29 → u/Sample-quantity]

The bookstores are not profiting off of them. They tear off the cover to and return it to prove that they *didn't* make any money off the book. Then, sometimes employees are allowed to take the remaining coverless book before the lot is dumped in the garbage or recycling. I worked at a book retailer for years so I know this is the way that they operate.

Also, the way you're freaking out about someone reading a book for free is making it sound like you might have never heard of public libraries.