I recently attended Book Expo America for the first time. It was an enlightening experience. I could regale you with the wonderful things I saw and learned, but instead I’m focusing on something awful–how many books I saw in the trashcans.
Yes, you heard that right. Brand new, unread books–many of them ARCs–tossed in the trash. Everywhere I turned, there were racks of free (very nicely made and sturdy) tote bags to carry books in… and right next to them were trashcans stuffed with waste and new books.
This practice makes me so frustrated I could scream, because it’s a problem with a solution that benefits everyone involved, yet no one seems to be doing it. Give the books to people who want them–charities, libraries, hospitals, etc. The author gets their books “out there,” landfills have less waste in them, trees aren’t sacrificed for nothing, charities receive much-needed fund raising materials, and readers who will love the books get them.
I blogged about this issue before. With the Romance Writers of America’s National Conference coming up in just a few short weeks (Uh… where did the year go?), I thought it was prime time to remind everyone who plans to attend to think twice about the book situation and see if we can take care of it this year.
The Basics:
- Don’t take books you’re not absolutely certain you’re willing to pay to ship home or drag on the plane with you.
- Don’t leave books you receive in your registration bag as “tips” for the maid. They aren’t allowed to keep items left in the room. They will throw them in the trash.
- Don’t leave books in common areas of the hotel (seating areas, bathrooms, meeting rooms, etc.) in the hopes that someone will walk by and want some of them.
Some ideas:
- If one or more of your chapters has a chapter party, see if they’ll arrange a “book swap” table.
- If you live in Northern California, perhaps you’d be willing to contact a few of your local charities/hospitals/libraries to see if they’d like to take some of these unwanted books as donations.
- If you live elsewhere in the country, perhaps you’d be willing to arrange something similar in your hometown and ship the books home (or directly to the recipient). A flat-rate Priority Mail box from the post office is only $9.80 shipping, no matter how heavy it is. They come folded flat and fit neatly in the bottom of a carry-on sized piece of luggage. You can buy the postage beforehand and leave it with the front desk when you check out.
- Spread the word when you’re at the conference. So many attendees have no idea the book situation is such a problem.
If you have some added solutions, please share. Let’s not throw away hundreds of books this year.
No related posts.
A very timely post, Sylvia. I’m concerned about this too.
I won’t be able to take many books home with me to the UK, so will have to be selective. But I’d like to think that books I acquire or am given during the course of the conference, that I just *can’t* carry home in my suitcase, will find a good home somewhere and be appreciated.
Thank you for talking about this, Sylvia. I think we forget stuff like this can happen at these events, and what a loss it is to have all those books tossed when they could go to charity or libraries or somewhere that will appreciate them.
I’m curious, I plan on attending RWA this year with a few friends, so this was a timely reminder, thank you.
Excellent post. Does RWA have a place to drop off unwanted books? I imagine that would create quite a problem, though, at the end of the conference–boxing up and finding places to send the books.
I’m fairly new to RWA. My first was in Atlanta 2 years ago where every attendee got 18 books in her welcome tote. In Dallas, that was cut way back and there were ‘pick and choose’ freebies so attendees didn’t end up with books unless they wanted them.
Still, there are so many books that would otherwise be wasted. I hope people read this post and find a non-landfill solution. I’ll be travelling after the conference, staying with relatives, so I know I can find a home for any books I won’t want to carry all the way home.
Good reminder about the flat-rate box. I have a bunch of them folded in my closet. I’ll set one out for my suitcase. (And don’t forget to check airline rules & regs before you go. They’re really cracking down on baggage allowances)
*boggles* That’s just sad. Books should not go without a home. Makes me wish I could go to the conference both cause it’d be fun AND I could rescue books. Aw well…next year mebe.
Jana
Last year RWA got much more selective with their opening bag, but we all got the SAME 5 books, meaning there was no chance to swap them. And I have to say, I’d already bought and read the only one I was even vaguely interested in reading. What the heck were we all supposed to do with those same five books? At least at lunch I can leave it on the chair if I don’t want it.
I always buy a ton of books at the literacy signing, and then I get more at the publisher sponsored signings . . . those are books I actually WANT. Those I’ll ship home and lug around. But I can’t say I’m willing to show the same commitment to randomly gifted books I have no interest in reading.
Books in trashcans! I’m horrified.
I’ve only been to one conference before, and my goodie bag had two free books. Julie Ortolon’s Just Perfect and Marion Keyes’ Watermelon. They were both FABULOUS! I shudder to think of what I would have missed had I thrown these freebies away.
I can’t imagine the day that I would rather throw away books than carry them. I have a 20-pound toddler on my hip half the time. These people are wimps!
Looking forward to RWA.
One word: BookCrossing.
If any attendees have wifi connection and a BookCrossing membership, get creative; log the book(s) on BookCrossing, tag it with a BCID number, and leave it in a coffeeshop, park bench, train station, airport, etc., with the request that it be passed on, if the person who finds it isn’t interested.
Better yet, look on BookCrossing for ‘Crossing Zones’ in SF; there are tons of them, and you can log where the book will be ‘released’. Those Crossing Zones listed range from the Golden Gate Bridge to Starbucks and hotel lounges!
http://www.bookcrossing.com
SEND THEM HERE!!
We are a library AKA as a NON-PROFIT organization. We are the first line in getting readers to your books. Don’t throw them away send them here. Or even better send them to flood ravaged New Orleans or towns that are currently suffering in the midwest. Water is a demaon and it takes mega $$$$ thousands to rebuild a library. Please pass those books on. For a small postal charge you could be saving a library and YOUR future readers.
A public service announcement from a looney librarian!!!
Those heavy books I carried were put to good use. Some went to the library, most of them went to HOAG hospital to comfort patients who are receiving chemo and have nothing to do while they are hooked up on IV. I wish I had a way to bring home more books.
Just a side comment–I had no idea housekeeping was not allowed to keep things like books or magazines found in rooms (obviously jewelry would be a no-no!). I have done that many times, thinking someone else would like the book, too. (I always leave a cash tip, btw, not just books). Guess I won’t be doing that anymore!
That’s completely sacriligious as far as I’m concerned. I’d be horrified to see that… then I’d start taking out as many as I could. Books are so incredibly important and I’m sure (as indicated in many of the posts above) there are many places that would take the extras. I think a donation bin would be a good place for these unwanted books to go and then the organisation (whether it be RWA, BEA or whatever) can have them delivered to a local library, shelter or wherever they would be cherished.
All great ideas!
It would also be great if someone could get in touch with local hospitals / libraries / charities and there could be a drop box for all the books that get left behind. Just thinking about books in the trash makes me want to cry!
My understanding is that RWA is working on something for this year (a room or a bin or whatnot) for people to leave unwanted books, and they’ll see that they get donated to women’s shelters, hospitals, etc. I know there’s been much talk about this, but I haven’t yet seen confirmation.
Ditto.
I’m willing to help at SFRWA.
How awful–I haven’t had the pleasure of attending one of these conferences yet, but this would make me cry! Dayle and Allison, I hope SFRWA will be different!