Saturday, June 25, 2011
Blue Box Warning
From the July-August edition of the Pacifica Friends of the Library Newsletter...
We recently received an email from the Orinda Friends of the Library warning us of a danger to our book donations and sales. It seems that a company from Washington state has been placing blue book donation boxes marked "Books for Charity" in shopping centers. In the Bay Area most of the boxes have been placed on Safeway property, and one has shown up in Pacific Manor. Of the books that are collected, 25% goes to charity, half are pulped, and the remainder are sold on line by Thrift Recycling Management of Lakewood, WA. TRM is the largest used bookseller in the world and has annual sales of 26 million dollars. That is not a charity!
Our libraries depend on the support we are able to give through our book sales to fund programs like the Summer Reading Program and the Quick Pick collection. Please pass the word on to support our local libraries. In Portland, Oregon book donations to the libraries dropped off dramatically after the blue boxes showed up in parking lots all over the city. Our libraries need our help now in these financially trying times. Please continue to donate your books to the library. The book donation box is in the foyer downstairs at the Sharp Park Library and large donations can be arranged by calling Donna at 359-9664 or Caroline at 359-3848.
Posted by Steve Sinai
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4 comments:
Does PFL have a facebook page we all could like and spread the word?
Todd, also read the post on U'SAgain clothing and textile boxes, article submitted by Jim Wagner a few weeks back, also described in in John Maybury's Tribune column last week.
U'SAgain is a "for profit" that ships clothing and other textiles overseas, sold by the pound, then re-sells and recycles there. This under cuts our local charities, for example Goodwill, Salvation Army, PARCA.
The U'SAgain mantra of "zero waste" is good, however, and they will take worn-out, damaged sheets, blankets, clothing, towels, etc.
Thanks all for getting the word-out Todd, and everyone else.
one of the ways to get rid of these unsightly charity ripoff boxes is to complain to the store owners/managers. these things are popping up all over town. city hall has no jurisdiction over private property placement of these things so our only rememdy is to bug the people responsible for the management of the property.
Now I know where to dump my useless, old computer books from 25 years ago. The library doesn't want them.
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