Outdated reference books were recycled by Grand Forks Secondary School (GFSS) after it revamped several rooms, including moving the weight room to the library.
“Last spring, the district supported GFSS’s request to reorganize internally,” said Michael Strukoff, SD51 Superintendent. “This allowed them the opportunity to see which books were still being used or if they were outdated.”
“We have to face the fact that we are entering the digital age,” he said. “We’ve downsized some reference books and the library, and some of the books were given away.”
Strukoff explained there is always controversy when this occurs.
“People get in their minds that we’re throwing away lots of money, but if an encyclopedia was published in 1975, why would you be keeping it in 2011,” he stated.
“Books that weren’t claimed were taken to recycling, not the dump,” concluded Strukoff.