CARLSBAD — Friends of the Carlsbad Library, a nonprofit volunteer group, says repeated thefts from its book donation area are cutting into funding for key library programs.
“We’ve had some people come in and root through the donations that can’t be brought inside,” said Suzanne Hassig, a 14-year volunteer and president of Friends of the Carlsbad Library.
The group raises money by reselling donated books and media at its used bookstore located inside the Dove Library. The bookstore has become even more important since the organization stopped selling items on Amazon due to rising fees and limitations.
“Amazon kept increasing fees and limiting what we could sell,” she said.
Donations include books, CDs, magazines, records and DVDs. Items are dropped off in a bin along the south exterior wall of the Dove Library, where a posted sign explains the donation process.
Over the weekend, Hassig said, the volume can grow to the point that donations fill the entire wall because no volunteers are available to bring them inside and sort them.
And even with security cameras nearby, thefts have persisted.
“Employees walk in and out of that exit,” Hassig said. “We’ve seen people take stuff. People pull up in their car and take stuff.”
The thefts, she said, ultimately hurt the library because proceeds from donated materials help support community programs and reading initiatives.
“(The donations are) simply for programs,” she said. “One thing we funded is at Veterans Park, where you read a children’s book as you move through the park. We funded the posts for those in English and Spanish.”
The group also donates books to the San Diego Food Bank, offering recipients free books along with their groceries.
According to a city spokesperson, thefts of donated materials ceased as of October 2024 after library officials installed security cameras, notified Carlsbad police, and assigned staff to patrol the area.
But Hassig said the thefts continue, prompting the group to discuss potential security improvements at its upcoming board meeting.
“We’ve talked about security, but I don’t know what they’re doing about it,” she said. “We have a board meeting in about three weeks. We’ll probably talk about this.”
No suspects have been identified, according to Mara Feilding, vice president of Friends of the Carlsbad Library. The Carlsbad Police Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
“Nobody’s been arrested,” Felding said. “We don’t keep track of it, and we don’t always know who’s taking stuff.”
1 comment
Looks like the situation could be improved if area was enclosed in a chain link ‘box’ with a chute to deposit books.