What do you do with books that you're finished with? Books you've read or don't want anymore or spilled coffee on? In this episode we discuss what makes a book valuable - to individuals and to society - and why this can sometimes result in anxiety about how books are disposed of.  We dig into the work libraries do to preserve books and the “weeding” they have to do to stay functional for the communities they serve. Elizabeth goes on a teeny-tiny rant about the controversy this weeding can sometimes cause, but why it should be embraced rather than resisted or feared. We also talk about various options for how and where to unload books you don't want anymore, and ideas for reading more sustainably. Don't miss it! ----------------------- Books we're reading in this episode:    The Mitford Murders by Jessica Fellowes The Gentleman's Gambit  (A League of Extraordinary Women series book #4) by Evie Dunmore My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme House of Flame and Shadow (Crescent City #3) by Sarah J. Maas -----------------------  Sources:  Haider, Salman. 2022. “Five Laws of Library Science.” Librarianship Studies & Information Technology (blog). September 11, 2022. https://www.librarianshipstudies.com/2017/09/five-laws-of-library-science.html  Piepenburg, Scott. 2019. “The Five Laws of Library Science.” Librarian to Librarian. October 17, 2019. https://librariantolibrarian.wordpress.com/2019/10/18/the-five-laws-of-library-science/ Better World Books: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/Ben Krumholz, FOX 11 News. 2024. “Residents Outraged Over Dumpster Filled With Library Books at Marinette’s UWGB Campus.” WLUK. January 11, 2024. https://fox11online.com/news/local/northwoods/residents-outraged-over-dumpster-filled-with-library-books-at-marinettes-uwgb-campus https://twitter.com/elizabethbrookb/status/1131392411563728896———. 2024. “Books Published per Country per Year.” Wikipedia. February 25, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Books_published_per_country_per_year Talbot, Dean. 2023. “Number of Books Published per YeThe Happy Writer with Marissa MeyerAuthors, from debuts to bestsellers, chat about books, writing, publishing, and joy. Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify ----------------------- Intro and outro music: "The Chase," by Aves. Do you have thoughts, questions, or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected]. And if you want to learn more about the podcast, visit our website at allbooksaloudpod.com. If you liked this episode, please consider leaving us a review to help us reach more listeners. And if you'd like to see more bookish content from Martha & Elizabeth, follow us on Instagram and TikTok @allbooksaloudpod. Read on!