Dust isn't the main issue for most libraries. The issues: 1. If a book doesn't circulate much, a librarian will frequently remove it to make room for one that will. It sucks that libraries have limited space, but they do, and tough choices about what to keep and what not to keep need to be made. If you adore a book to death and want it to always be in your library, check it out at least once a year. Slight cheat, but it works. 2. If too many books in a collection start looking worn, the circulation of the whole collection goes down. There have been tons of studies on this, and the librarians I've met provide anecdotal evidence as well. The bookshelves have to look nice or no one will check out the books. So some books that are only a couple years old get weeded because they start looking worn. Unless the book has high circulation statistics, a replacement copy isn't often deemed worth it--the money is better spent on getting more newer titles, as far as circulation goes. (And circulation stats are one of the main things libraries can show to justify their continued existence, which is sadly increasingly necessary.)
Libraries do the best they can with limited space and limited budgets. If a library has weeded books you really want to read, ask about interlibrary loan. Almost all public libraries will order books for you from other libraries if you ask.
Thank you for the info! It's good to know that my instinctive habit of always having a Seanan/Mira book signed out of the library has some basis in fact. :)
1. If a book doesn't circulate much, a librarian will frequently remove it to make room for one that will. It sucks that libraries have limited space, but they do, and tough choices about what to keep and what not to keep need to be made. If you adore a book to death and want it to always be in your library, check it out at least once a year. Slight cheat, but it works.
2. If too many books in a collection start looking worn, the circulation of the whole collection goes down. There have been tons of studies on this, and the librarians I've met provide anecdotal evidence as well. The bookshelves have to look nice or no one will check out the books. So some books that are only a couple years old get weeded because they start looking worn. Unless the book has high circulation statistics, a replacement copy isn't often deemed worth it--the money is better spent on getting more newer titles, as far as circulation goes. (And circulation stats are one of the main things libraries can show to justify their continued existence, which is sadly increasingly necessary.)
Libraries do the best they can with limited space and limited budgets. If a library has weeded books you really want to read, ask about interlibrary loan. Almost all public libraries will order books for you from other libraries if you ask.
...Sorry. I'm a librarian. :P
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