One man's trash...

One of my favorite things to do is go to used book sales. Steven's movie is wrapping, and they have a warehouse full of books. We had a glorious Sunday a couple of months ago, where Steven let me loose with an empty box and my greedy fingers. Back then, they still needed most of the books for the set so I just got a few things to supplement our library. These books are library cast-offs that the movie will use, and then recycle. I assumed that this meant that these books would be later donated to a place that could use them.

We went back this weekend. There are about six tons of books. There are now a few boxes of used children's books. When I asked Steven what the movie company really meant by "recycling," he said that they would literally be taken to a recycling bin; their lives as books would end. I started to panic. "What do you mean? You can't throw books away!" I looked around and thought about a post on our adoption forum, (I have received permission from the poster to post it here...)

"The new CHSFS Academy is in desperate need of story books. Their library is a disgrace. There is one tiny shelf and hardly anything on it. They need story books up to a 5th grade reading level."

I looked at Steven and said, "How can we get these books to Ethiopia? " There were a few story books. There were paperback versions of many important, classic novels. I thought, at the very least we could get these over. They don't weigh that much. I looked through them and realized that they are in pretty terrible condition. The pages are yellowed, people have underlined in them; there is a reason the library didn't want them anymore. Then I thought about the practicality of sending over old, weathered copies of the Iliad, and Wuthering Heights. I don't think that this is what they need.
I dug around trying to find books that might be relevant, books that we could bring over. Shipping to Ethiopia is cost prohibitive. Any donations we want to bring, we have to physically carry over. I believe that the airline stipulates that each person is allowed two bags that weigh 50 pounds or less. Any bag after that will have to be paid for. Still, I thought, surely there are some books here that are worth salvaging and carrying over.

Not this one....






And definitely not this one...


But maybe these...

Maybe it makes more sense to keep these used books for our kids, and take over donations like clothing, formula, and new books instead? I guess will will defer to our agency as we get closer to our referral.



I also found this book in one of the boxes we brought home...

Steven swears he didn't add it to our spoils. It is a pretty hilarious book. How did it get into our stuff?


Addendum: I am donating a large box of these books to our local public school where I have been working. I felt a bit better after spending a long time actually looking through everything at the warehouse. I was assured that people in Ethiopia have absolutely no need to receive hardback copies of, "Who's Who in American High School Students 1976-1985." Surely there is something better that I can come up with. Chris (my mother-in-law the librarian), any ideas?