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DuurtMcguurt OP t1_ixha53e wrote

Reply to comment by throwaway-clonewars in How do you guys feel about ex library plastic jacket sleeves? by DuurtMcguurt

Totally makes sense, the thing is I travel for work and you would not believe some of the books libraries are destroying and selling for pennies just to not deal w them anymore. First editions of Jules Verne, Pynchon, Dickens limited reprints from 1880 etc. It's absolutely wild and sad but I try and save as many as I can when I can.

So I'm thinking for books like those I won't bother touching them and have a professional remove the plastic and touch it up. May be worth it for a 100 year old first edition or things like that.

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throwaway-clonewars t1_ixhvhj8 wrote

Oh I think that's definitely a region thing. You said you're UK?

USA libraries, at least the ones I've seen don't have anything super valuable like that. Ours are more recent books that are already mass marketed (I think a few have library special editions like Nancy Drew) so versions like that hold little value. All the older texts are either in a special area or they've been long gone by now- unless it's a college or large state library.

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DuurtMcguurt OP t1_ixhwzts wrote

Nope I'm US based but my work has me traveling around to lots of poorer countries. Unfortunately for them the most important books are the ones read often, not historically significant. So if no one has checked out a 1st edition of catch 22 or whatever other incredibly rare and valuable book, those are marked for destruction.

It's incredibly sad but understandable, you have limited resources/space and 100 people want to read 50 shades of gray while 1 person in 30 years has checked out 20,000 leagues under the sea. Which do you keep on the shelf especially if your library job is government appointed and you don't care much for literary history.

If you ever travel in 3rd world countries I highly recommend visiting any public or local libraries, especially older ones established during colonial times. They can be treasure trove of books you may get for pennies or even free because they just want to get rid of them.

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