Waste not, want not

I made a gruesome discovery at the recycling center the other day. Someone had dumped about 50 books in perfect brand new condition in the paper recycling bin. I have no idea why someone would do that, especially when it is so easy to donate books to libraries or thrift stores.

There was another woman there surveying the wreckage and she and I agreed it was a total waste so we rescued the books. She took half of them to give to her daughter who runs a library in another town and I took the rest. They are mostly the little mass market variety but about five of them are hardcovers. Tomorrow, I am going to bring the books to my local library, along with some of my own I have been meaning to donate. I'm just glad I can help out the library because the hardcovers can be loaned out and the paperbacks will be sold in their ongoing book sale.

I am astounded someone would throw away brand new books. I think it must have been one of the bookstores in town that figured someone would trash pick them, which I am obviously not above. As my father always said when I was younger "Waste not, want not" basically meaning if you don't waste things, you won't want for things. He may not have exactly meant trash picking books to give to the library, but I'm just a little weird like that I guess.