Book murderer

I killed books today.

Over a hundred at least. I do it every Tuesday because, as awful as it is, it's part of my job. Now you may be thinking " what kind of monster would destroy innocent literature?" I know I do, and whenever I tell people about it they have trouble understanding too. They see it as a waste of resources or an affront to education or just murder, and truly anyone who loves books like myself automatically sees it the same way.

But there is a reason. Since starting work at the library the first thing I learned about books, or any other source of information for that matter is that it has a lifespan. In academic texts that span is usually 5 years unless it's history and even then only if it is a primary resource. Essays text books journals etc all outlive their usefulness within that short time.

For most other material items the lifespan is as long as its legible, an item is borrowed, read, loved, not loved, returned, borrowed, used as a table top/placemat/chew toy, returned etc. until it is so worn the spine falls apart. This is the best way for a book to go, it seems right somehow for a story to be read to death and more like the natural progression of time that will, eventually, get everyone.

Then there is me, when I take books on tuesdays I take the ones that haven't been borrowed in a year. Picture books too grotty to be wanted again, or items so out of date they're more useful as scrap paper. Some of these items are beautiful, collections of myths and fairy tails, craft books,mtravel books, illustrated volumes of poetry all still in good condition, better than what you find in a second hand book shop most of the time.

Some of it does get resold in the library booksale but most of the withdrawn items are stripped and sent for pulping in the council recycling program, to be recycled intl other materials. Mulch for the garden perhaps, or cheap toilet paper?

I don't like doing it, and occasionally I can save one so long as the cover is removed but then what? Everything has a time, and those books are probably getting more use then they ever had inside the library, that's how I justify to myself what I personally find abhorrent ( word of the day).

So, that is the lifespan of a library book. They're bought, used ( or not), then recycled or sold on. If you find any part of this story unfair I have one thing to say to you.

"Use your library or the books get it!"