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Anger over dumping of rare library books
Andy Tristem
RESIDENTS have blasted library bosses for chucking out hundreds of books.
A rare military collection was thrown in a skip along with education books and novels during the revamp of Maida Vale Library in Sutherland Avenue.
Health and Safety inspectors said that a balcony, which had been used to store books for nearly 50 years, could no longer safely hold the load.
Robert Bruce, who lives in Maryland Road, said: "The skip was filled to the top. There was also a wheely bin full of old books. People were turning up and taking the books saying, 'what a scandal'. One man put about 50 books in the boot of his car."
Mr Bruce said that the books could have been donated to charity.
"I was annoyed to see such an awful waste," he said. "If they were not able to sell them then they should have given them away to Oxfam."
Mr Bruce saved several Second World War books, including one on the history of the Savage Club dated 1905 which he has donated to their collection.
"I asked them (City of Westminster Libraries) why they had not used a van to take the books round to the Marylebone High Street library but was told they could not afford it - even though they had paid for builders to put them in a skip.
"We pay for the library staff and books through our taxes.
"It would have been nice if they had said, 'These are your books take them if you like.'"
Joanna Lloyd-Davies, chairwoman of Paddington Waterways and Maida Vale Society, said there had been "uproar" about the dumping.
"It was a sad end for so many wonderful books," she said. "I just hope that lessons have been learnt.
"Perhaps if they had used Westminster Council's website to advertise the books then this would have been an easier pill to swallow."
Iona Cairns, acting manager of City of Westminster Libraries, said the books had been thrown out to make space during the library revamp.
"We are redeveloping Maida Vale Library to make it accessible for people with disabilities," she said.
"We were told that the old balcony, which kept the reserve stock of military books and old academic books, was no longer safe.
"We weeded out all the books we wanted to keep and offered the remainder to the British Library, Imperial War Museum and Kent County Council (military library).
"We then auctioned the remaining books at Bloomsburry Auctions and took the rest to dealers.
"The rump that was left over was thrown away - many had not been looked at for years.
"I know people get upset when they see books being thrown out but the City of Westminster Libraries looks after more than 3.5million books.
"We buy 100,000 each year and have to withdraw stock to allow for the new books.
"All of the old books are offered to people at very reasonable price - about 30 pence.
"But the reality is that some have to be thrown away."
andy.tristem@hamhigh.co.uk
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