Category: Condition/Processing Fail

This category addresses those Awful Library Books that have a problem with condition or poor processing.

Christy cover

Tape and Prayer

Condition/Processing Fail 4 comments

Christy
Marshall LeSourd
1967

Submitter: While assisting a rural library with their weeding, we came across Christy. The solo librarian could not believe that it was still on the shelf. She was horrified. It was last checked out in 1995. This little library has done an excellent job of serving its citizens of 353. They use catalog cards and do everything manually, so it is hard to keep up! Someone must have thought that Christy could be brought back to life!

Holly: Poor Christy is being held together with about a pound of tape and a prayer – which is appropriate, since this book is popular with Christian homeschoolers in my community. My library’s copy has circulated 43 times since 2007 when our current copy was added, most recently one year ago today. It would even be worth buying a new copy if ours was in bad shape. Clearly it is not that popular in Submitter’s library, though, if they have a copy in this kind of condition that hasn’t gone out since 1995. I think they’re safe weeding it and letting it go. Different strokes for different folks! I am curious about the tape job, actually. You can no longer see any title from the spine and there’s no call number sticker either. Even the title on the cover is so faint you have to look closely to see what book it is. Maybe it would have circulated if anyone could tell what book it was while browsing.

Continue reading
Making Your Garden Bush Friendly cover

Bush Friendly

Condition/Processing Fail 10 comments

Making Your Garden Bush Friendly: How to Recognise and Control Garden Plants which Invade Sydney’s Bushland
McLoughlin
1993

Submitter: We are an academic library serving a landscape program. While right-sizing the collection this week, I found this unfortunate processing fail. For the record, the barcode is covering the word Garden.

Holly: (Snort!)

Continue reading
Black Lives Matter cover

Black Lives Matter

Condition/Processing Fail 13 comments

Black Lives Matter
Edwards and Harris
2016

Submitter: Here is a brand new book on display! It is shiny and new and deals with current events. The barcode sticker obscures the first part of the title, though, so its content is not exactly clear at first glance. I appreciate the uniformity of always having the barcode in the upper left corner, but this unfortunate covering of title (or sometimes author) is a frequent problem.

If you have read at all about #alllivesmatter vs. #blacklivesmatter, this sticker placement becomes even more unfortunate. Here is an article from USA Today in case you have never heard of this hashtag controversy.

Continue reading
You Can Do The Cube

Solve the CUBE!

Condition/Processing Fail 12 comments

You Can Do the Cube
Bossert
1981

The Rubik’s Cube is another puzzle skill I don’t have. Even with directions and help, I doubt I would get this to work. Holly, however, is a champ at the Rubik’s Cube – obviously the result of a misspent youth. Rubik’s Cube was a huge deal in the 80s and I still see people playing with the puzzle from time to time. As you can see from the pictures, this particular book is barely hanging on and probably needs to be replaced.

I wouldn’t necessarily call this or a weeder, condition not withstanding. The author’s age and the whole idea of a kid solving the puzzle, when no one could, is a cool story. I would imagine the content is still good. I actually think that this book might work despite the age in a puzzle-oriented collection, but I think most folks would probably run to YouTube to solve the puzzle, not checkout a book.

Continue reading

Eat Dirt!

Condition/Processing Fail 7 comments

Soil Testing Manual: Procedures, Classification Data, and Sampling Practices
Day
2001

Submitter: I work in an engineering library. This is the sort of book vandalism only engineering students would do- please note the careful workmanship. The knife never punctured the cover, and the letters were lifted off without tearing them or the cover underneath. We are torn between annoyance at people altering books and respect for creativity and craftsmanship so rarely seen these days.

Holly: #Respect

Continue reading