I work in a public library, and I am all for discovering how to use plant based plastics to cover books. In NYS, the libraries are being asked to join a sustainability project, and I’m hoping that we can band together to put pressure on the book distributors and library materials manufactures to begin to look past non-biodegradable plastics. I think that it would take a large scale push.

itissunny I’m so glad you used it as an opportunity to engage someone in a conversation about plastic!

I laughed when I saw that our library covered your book in plastic. Actually, having the plastic coated library book titled Plastic Free, with me has been a great conversation starter with total strangers, including with the local library staff. A lot of people seem plastic-free-curious and just needed something like seeing an oxymoron in action to get them motivated to learn more.

Tracey TieF So I’m looking at it going “it IS bound” and “it HAS a spine” because it’s thread-bound. That book’ll last much longer than the glued-in pages of modernly bound books. But yes, traditional binding would include putting a layer of leather over the thread binding and attaching it to the front and back boards with wheat paste. Though, it appears to have cardboard front and back rather than hardwood.

Funny to read this post because just today I picked-up your book from the library and they put the plastic sleeve on it.

Dear Terry and Readers. After just hearing a wonderful interview of you on NPR Radio, I thought of my friend who is quite eco-minded. She created a product – washable produce bags! They are wonderful to carry, wash and store your vegetables in. They are reusable, washable, come in may sizes, and are carried in a few of our local supermarkets. My local Safeway, has refused so far to switch from plastic bags to paper. I don’t mean to use this forum in any way to sell her product. I just would like people from other states to know that Washable Produce bags exist and they are terrific! My sister from Ithaca, NY visited recently and insisted on taking some home! She plans to help my friend get them in stores in Ithaca. Please see WashableProduceBags.com .
I apologize in advance if I have offended or you feel this is not the appropriate venue. I just wanted fellow earth lovers to know that there is a great, easy alternative to plastic bags for fruits,vegetables, etc. which I find take up about half of my grocery orders. Sincerely,
Tory Tashian

Please spread the idea to Asia, especially cities like Hong Kong, too many plastic here, very difficult to avoid. I’m reading your book with Kindle.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a library book that WAS covered in plastic – and I’m a frequent library patron. Most curious.

I am a librarian in Alaska, and not only have we covered your book in plastic to protect it, but we actually had to spend a fair amount of time (and some plastic!) to create a binding for it, as it came without any spine. At first, we contacted our book supplier, thinking we had received a damaged copy. I understand that you are trying to make a point by publishing without the use of plastic, but books were bound – with spines – for hundreds of years before the invention of plastic. Surely your publisher could have figured out a way to create the book with a real binding that would allow the book to be read without falling apart in the reader’s hands. I’m afraid that the delicate condition of your book’s binding contradicts your message that people can live successfully, and without major inconvenience, without plastic. In future editions, please try to come up with a durable plastic-free solution. Thank you.

… the regulators…

I had to request the book be ordered for the Spokane County library system. It’s now being catalogued and I’m the only one on the waiting list. Hopefully that will change once it’s actually available. After I’d requested it, I was kicking myself… I should asked that they order the ebook!

I just put a hold on your book at the Seattle Public Library. They have nine copies with a waiting list, Yay! I am pretty sure your book will have a plastic protective cover, and while it is disappointing, I really do get it. I hope your books at my library will be read by many many people and i am looking forward to reading it.

My friends in college worked in the library. They’d shrink-wrap any books with loose pages, and each time it got checked out, it would get rewrapped. Let’s hope that, at least, doesn’t happen to your book. But with the non-synthetic binding, perhaps it will be more durable.

I think it’s absolutely miraculous that you prevented so much plastic and waste in the production of your book in the first place! So I know that your books shrink wrapped in plastic is part of your nightmare scenario, but it’s neat to imagine all of your books that WEREN’T shrink wrapped because you insisted. My “NoPlastic.ca” supplier sends me most objects in plastic straight from the manufacturer, although he conscientiously packs in paper. It’s going to take a bit for the world to stop thinking “it’s only one little bit of plastic” and see the mountains composed of “one little bits” of plastic we are tossing. Bravo for pushing the envelope!]

Well handled! And I fully agree with the shipping packaging back to sender thing – we all ought to do a lot more of that.

Heavy on the irony, this! But I like Susan’s comment that it continues the conversation.

Hi Joshua Gardner. No one’s picking on librarians, but it never hurts to think about whether there might be better alternatives. Also… the article is not just about a library covering the book in plastic (which is understandable) but a distributor also shrink wrapping every book in plastic. BTW, my husband is a librarian. :-)

All the people in the comments picking on libraries surprise me. No, obviously it’s not the best solution and it would be best if, in the future, libraries didn’t do this. But there are so many more important and bigger steps we can all take before we start picking on libraries and librarians.

oy!!

You’re so inspiring, Beth.

Ironic and a little disappointing. But one step at a time, I guess.

Yup. I requested our library order a copy, which they did. And covered it in mylar. Irony. But I made the same analysis you did, and figured that if more people read it, the ripples can spread.

the positive thing about all of this is that it continues the conversation, reveals how embedded and widespread the problem is, and perhaps inspires innovation – willow glass, sugar, bamboo, sand…..

Oy Vey! That’s all I can think to say.

I can imagine that this is frustrating and a tiny bit embarrassing for you Beth. Such a difficult dilemma this plasticized world we now live in. Know that you’re making a HUGE impact in the best of ways with your book, your blog, and your message. Can’t wait to get my grimy hands on a copy of your book ; )

I would like to know more about the mylar libraries cover books with, because we check out a lot of kids’ books from the library, and I’ve often wondered about the safety of the plastic they use to cover books. Do you know anything about it, Beth?

My (university) library removes the paper dust jackets of most hardbacks with paper covers. There’s a little piece of plastic on the binding that sticks on the call number, but otherwise none. I guess it makes the book have less ‘eye candy’ appeal, but maybe you could request that option? Overall, though, I totally agree that the benefit of more people being able to read the book over time counteracts the small amount of plastic used.

WHAT? Why would a library need to cover a book in plastic? I often check books out of the New York City public library system and the only time I have noticed a plastic cover on a book is if it has a paper dust jacket on it. That is, if a book is a hardcover with no jacket, I don’t think there is plastic on it. I KNOW that paperback books do not have plastic on all of them. I’m curious now and will request your book from my library to see what they’ve done.

If a book is completely dog eared and torn, it means it’s being read. That sends the message to me that I NEED to read the book.

Libraries and books have survived for centuries without plastic binders. Tell the Oakland Library that I’ll send them my copy if theirs becomes too dog-eared. Or, they can add a sticker that says, “We realize that by adding this un-neccesary cover that we are adding to the problem of plastic pollution.”