FD was at the local library today, choosing a mystery (lately, FD only BUYS non-fiction, or the occasional hardcover by a favorite writer, but most novels and certainly mysteries, get borrowed). Walking around the library, looking idly at the shelves, FD was reminded that it is the practice of the local library to only keep books on the shelf if they are being checked out. That means, for instance, no copy of No Orchids for Miss Blandish even though it is a classic mystery novel (which FD still hasn’t read!), that has been made into several movies (which FD still hasn’t seen!) and should be available to all mystery buffs! (read a little about it, here)
Of course libraries exist to serve the desires of patrons, which, at least here, seem to focus on mystery series, various “best sellers” and fantasy, fantasy, fantasy. But shouldn’t libraries also be places where you can discover books you didn’t know you wanted to read? FD suspects that some books do get to stay on the shelves even after the public stops checking them out — as long as a librarian loves them. How else to explain certain nineteenth-century tomes? It shouldn’t have to be this way. Yes, space is a consideration. But FD’s local library would have space for more books if fewer duplicate copies of transient best sellers were kept! Who is still reading The DaVinci Code (FD would like to say “who ever read…” but alas, FD knows that wouldn’t be true).
In the meantime, there’s The Neglected Books Page where one can find out about other interesting titles, that, frustratingly, may not be available immediately from one’s local library. But one can dream, and add titles to the “someday” list…