Plastic grocery bags

About a year ago I came up with the following idea and wrote a notice
about it for our Library's weekly news bulletin which circulates to
library staff.  A colleague from another preservation program suggested
that I post it on the DistList.

   "Stepping Out?  Protect a Book.  Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags"

   "Beginning immediately, the Preservation Office will become the drop
    off point for your clean and dry plastic grocery bags.  We will
    store the bags and recycle them to the circulation desk for
    distribution to library users who charge out books when it is
    raining or snowing outside.  The bags will protect the library
    materials from water and dampness which causes paper and books to
    swell, warp, and cockle. These conditions can also cause pages to
    stick together or mold and mildew to grow.  In addition, users
    should wrap books in a plastic bag when returning them to the
    library if the weather is bad. Collecting the bags will be an
    ongoing activity for us, as they will be continually recycled. There
    will be a drop off box just inside the main entrance to the
    Preservation Office.  Thank you for your assistance."

The reception of this notice by library staff was very positive.  We
were not inundated with bags, but managed to fill about an 8 ft3 box
with them.  Since then bags have been taken away and new bags have
appeared.  There have not been any problems with food or vermin in the
bags, nor with storing them in the our office.  This program is a no
cost alternative to printing a logo on plastic bags purchased from a
vendor.  Plus most of the bags are recyclable, for real.

Robert Milevski

                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 8:16
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 25, 1994
                        Message Id: cdl-8-16-012
                                  ***