Don’t Judge a Donated Book by Its Cover

Posted November 5, 2012 by Sarah Barton

I work at a small branch library, and I was surprised to learn that we are not supposed to take book donations. One or two books here and there is ok, but an “I’m moving tomorrow and here is my entire book collection” drop off is too much. It’s not that we don’t want them, but since the main library is better equipped to handle donations people are encouraged to bring their books there. I don’t necessarily agree with the policy, but after reading this I might be more inclined to enforce it.
If I were going through donated books and came across a gun, I probably would have uttered a few choice words other than “Oh my.” A gun…in a book? The write-up doesn’t make it sound malicious, but still, a gun…in a book? Knowing nothing about guns, I would say that gun actually looks kind of cool – like something a cowboy would tote in a saloon. But that’s not the point. What is the real story? Why was that cool looking gun hidden inside a book? And, arguably most ridiculously, why did this same thing happen at that same library twelve years ago?
We may never have the answers to these pressing questions, but from now on I will certainly remember this article when people want to donate their books. Strange things happen at public libraries, but finding a gun in a donated book is quite an odd (and literal) application of why it’s best not to judge a book by its cover.