> Many of these books indeed don't belong in small community library collections because they are outdated and no longer useful to most patrons (they would prob

> Many of these books indeed don't belong in small community library collections because they are outdated and no longer useful to most patrons (they would probably be of interest to historians or other academics). That doesn't make them 'awful.' Honestly I wouldn't limit it to "historians or other academics." I'd think having a collection immaculately-curated for the present day sensibilities would create/reinforce a false impression that the present is timeless. I think it's good to come into contact with everyday things the reflect the recent past, even if it's just to get a sense of motion. And (realistically) the only place where that might be possible with books is a community library.