VIDEO: Book Donation Bins Hurting Acton Library

The Friends of the Acton Library and the West Acton Citizens' Library are concerned about the amount of for-profit book donation bins that are popping up throughout Acton. Jennifer Friedman, West Acton Citizens' Library Director thinks a lot of people don't know that a great deal of the book donation bins in town are for-profit companies. She claims since the rise of the nearly 32 bins scattered throughout Acton, that the West Acton Citizens' Library book donations have suffered.

On Monday, April 23, the Board of Selectmen heard the concerns from the Friends of the Acton Library and seemed sympathetic to the situation, said Friedman.

"It's not a simple fix," said Friedman. "But all of them (Selectmen) were sympathetic, understood where we were coming from, felt like it was something they needed to look further into and were committed to looking into the problem and looking for a solution."

It's not a simple fix because non-profit organizations like the Red Cross would undoubtedly be affected by a change in law if the Town decided to make regulations for the bins in Town.

"It's difficult because there are business owners involved and there are other charitable organizations involved and because there are sign bylaws involved," said Friedman. "We are hoping to have an education campaign to make not only all the people in town aware of who is profiting from the books they are dropping off in these bins but also to let the Board of Selectmen know. It's not just going on in this town."

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