The books are OK, but I'd have rather had the $17 mil
The avalanche of donated books arrived this morning. Right now they're stashed in an empty office and a storage room. There are definitely 20 boxes, but most of the boxes are liquor boxes, amusingly enough, so not as large as I was expecting.
I opened several today and was heartened to discover that there is some good stuff there. A lot of artist monographs, and a good number of books on subjects that our library tends to lack (any kind of non-Western art).
However, I was disheartened to discover that the majority of the books are filthy--covered in not just dust but plain old dirt and in some cases mold. The student workers who were helping me open boxes brought me a pile of plastic gloves--unasked--and are currently hunting for surgical masks. I'm not sure if workman's comp will cover my lung damage, so it's probably a good thing.
My boss gleefully reported that the donor, who is in fact dead, left behind $17 million but never ran his heat or air conditioning. The student worker who helped him retrieve the books confirmed that the apartment's fireplace looked well used.
Considering it was an apartment and not a house with a basement or a garage, I'm not really sure where said donor stored these books that would allow them to get so dirty. Unless they were not in storage and his whole place looked like that...
Now I just have to figure out a plan for sorting, cleaning, cataloging, and finding space for all of these books. And perhaps a new wardrobe plan for while I'm doing it. Wearing my customary black today was not a good move.
I opened several today and was heartened to discover that there is some good stuff there. A lot of artist monographs, and a good number of books on subjects that our library tends to lack (any kind of non-Western art).
However, I was disheartened to discover that the majority of the books are filthy--covered in not just dust but plain old dirt and in some cases mold. The student workers who were helping me open boxes brought me a pile of plastic gloves--unasked--and are currently hunting for surgical masks. I'm not sure if workman's comp will cover my lung damage, so it's probably a good thing.
My boss gleefully reported that the donor, who is in fact dead, left behind $17 million but never ran his heat or air conditioning. The student worker who helped him retrieve the books confirmed that the apartment's fireplace looked well used.
Considering it was an apartment and not a house with a basement or a garage, I'm not really sure where said donor stored these books that would allow them to get so dirty. Unless they were not in storage and his whole place looked like that...
Now I just have to figure out a plan for sorting, cleaning, cataloging, and finding space for all of these books. And perhaps a new wardrobe plan for while I'm doing it. Wearing my customary black today was not a good move.
posted by Madame Defarge at 4:46 PM
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