Awful Library Books

McDonaldland

September 21, 2022 Holly Talkin 'Bout My Generation 19 comments

McDonalds McDonaldland Specification Manual
McDonalds Corporation
1975

Submitter: There are many wonderful gems in our vertical file collection that really make no sense on why we collected them. This is one of them. It’s a 1975 booklet on the McDonalds characters. I love this quote “Ronald McDonald is a CLOWN. The fact that he is a corporate spokesman should not overshadow his ‘clownness.’ He is all the good things that come to mind when thinking of clowns.” I see that this booklet has been digitized in a few places and they will allow us to let this one go.

Holly: Nostalgia at its finest! I had a birthday party at McDonalds when I was about eight. I was a cool kid for that one day. Best. Day. Ever. But yeah – why is this still in a library collection? And I’m genuinely curious – who still has a vertical file? We do, but it’s mostly local history.

Sex Harassment 101

September 15, 2022 Mary Kelly Talkin 'Bout My Generation 10 comments

Coping With
Sexual Harassment and Gender Bias
Shaw
1998

Another old one from the “Coping with…” series. I just cringe at the covers of some of these books. (See this one and this one.) I think that jamming sexual harassment in with gender bias is asking too much of small book. I think they should be separate books.

This subject matter is important for teens. A book from the late 1990s isn’t going to be helpful in 2022. Aside from the creepy cover art, the content is probably on par for the late 1990s. We could argue about how much has NOT changed in over 20 years, but there has been way more dialogue on this topic than in the 1990s. Weed it and don’t look back.

Retro Crochet

September 7, 2022 Mary Kelly Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 15 comments

Decorating with Crochet
Halliday
1975

There are some lovely decorating tips in this book for all of you looking for a “retro” look for your home. Particularly fetching is the wall hanging of a grandfather clock and the homage to macrame wall hanging on the last picture below.

As a mediocre to poor knitter/crocheter, I can appreciate the skill set, but I just cringe at these projects. It is a waste of yarn. I am also old enough to remember 1970s decor, so I can also tell you that this would have been awful in the 1970s. (At least in my opinion.)

Craft yourself an Afghan just like Grandma

September 1, 2022 Mary Kelly Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 13 comments

Afghans
Traditional and Modern
Bray
1977

I was prepared for a very 1970s vibe for this relic of a craft book. I wasn’t disappointed with a few crafts that looked like it came from a grandma’s couch. However, I was surprised that a few were actually quite good. There were some very plain but nicely detailed afghans that would have made nice throws for a couch in this century. The bad news is that the projects were crowded out with the examples below. (Warning! A clown afghan is one of the examples!)

Free Stuff for Quilters

August 25, 2022 Holly Bleeding Edge, Craptastic Crafts and Hobbies 9 comments

Free Stuff for Quilters on the Internet
Heim and Hansen
1998

Submitter: I found this book this morning while weeding our craft section. To be fair, in 1998 it was probably a boon to quilters looking to get free patterns and connect with other quilters across the country. But, it’s an awful library book now because 1998 was the Stone Age equivalent of the Internet compared to today. Helpful tips in the book how to use one of the starter discs from AOL to get started with internet service, and how to set up Explorer on your computer. Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember all of this, so I got flash backs of trying to dial into the internet and the horrible screeching sounds accompanying the attempt. I didn’t try the links, but I’m guessing many or most of them do not work. About the only information relevant to today are the Internet safety tips, which still ring true today. I see that there was a 2nd edition published in 1999, but I doubt the information on the Internet had significantly improved in a year’s time. I honestly don’t have an explanation as to why this was on the shelf. I have weeded in that area before, but never ran across it before. It’s leaving our shelves today.

Holly: Isn’t it weird how things just pop up out of nowhere sometimes? It’s probably been checked out to someone for like ten years and they finally decided to return it. Gee, thanks, patron.

Satan’s Mark Exposed

August 24, 2022 Holly Department of God 28 comments

Satan’s Mark Exposed
Kirban
1981

Submitter: This book is one of many from Kirban that outlines the ways in which the world will ‘soon’ come to an end. This particular title is full of outlandish predictions that include cannibal worms, laser identification beams, and of course the word computer (when assigned the proper alphanumeric code) adding up to 666. Not only are we treated to ranting speculations, but also some alarmist images and comics, depicting the doomed direction the world is heading. It’s hard to believe that there are more of these, but as the back of the book claims “Salem Kirban is well qualified to write on future events. He is the author of more than 30 books on the subject.”

Holly: He was prolific, that’s for sure! My favorite title from his bibliography is “How to Live Above and Beyond Your Circumstances.” Any libraries out there have that little gem to share with us?

How about some cheese with that “whine”?

August 18, 2022 Mary Kelly For the Kids 11 comments

A Children’s Book About Whining
Berry
1988

Gotta hand it to Joy. She is so optimistic that kids might reconsider their behavior after a moment of self reflection. I am of the mind that many adults haven’t quite mastered this skill. More than once I have faced off with a parent who had better whining skills than the average kindergartner.

I can appreciate the intent, but I doubt this book has very little impact on a child’s behavior. A better strategy is ear plugs and a drink (preferably alcoholic).

Table Manners for the Kids

August 17, 2022 Mary Kelly For the Kids 7 comments

What to do when your Mom or Dad says …
Don’t Slurp Your Soup!
Berry
1984

We have a lot of old Joy Berry books here at ALB. Her stuff from the 1980s is dated and I just don’t like the illustrations. However, her books are popular with kids. Rather, I should say they were popular with kids 30 years ago. I guess if it works for your library, then more power to you.

I will just throw some caution out there that since many of the topics are sensitive for both adults and kids, these books should be evaluated regularly. Language from even 20 years ago might be considered inappropriate in 2022.

This one is about table manners. Frankly, plenty of adults and kids would do well to review basic manners. Will a book make a difference? Probably not.