Friday, March 5, 2010

Recycling

I am into Recycling lately. That would be specifically the recycling of books.

I am a buyer of books. Books line my shelves at home, at least the ones I have not given away to friends after reading them. I feel very strongly that the pages of those lonely books on the shelves should be fondled lovingly by other human hands. (I think I've stated as much in a previous post.)

I have been giving this much thought. There are a couple of bookstores that buy and sell used books that I've noticed lately. Of course, they have been around for years. Its just that I only recently noticed them, like pregnant women suddenly notice other pregnant women. Some of these used bookstores buy just about anything; others are more selective. I've found one used bookstore that you would swear was selling new books, the selection was that good and the books in excellent shape. I will be headed over there as soon as I take care of a few more items of pressing personal business, like buying a new laptop and a new car.

Yesterday, I came across another book exchange "find" at my local library - a corner in the library set up for donated books that one could buy for 50 cents (paperbacks) or a dollar (hard cover books). Of course, a lot depends on the selection available. But right there in front of me was a recent hard cover book that sells for $25 in the bookstore - an autobiography of Ted Kennedy, written by Ted (essentially) and published shortly after his death. I was able to buy it for one dollar, and I was thrilled.

So, many are the ways we can recycle in this world. With books - give them away, sell them to used bookstores (for bookstore credit), donate them to the library. It all works, and its all good. Only one question remains: which books do I consign to the used bookstore, and which do I donate to the library? It is going to be difficult to decide the fate of the book I recently finished reading -- the biography of Julia Child. Considering her love of education, perhaps this is one book that I should donate to the library.

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