So here's one of the odder library-stories I've come across: the town of Westport, Connecticut, apparently shelled out $7 million for 'Golden Shadows' (now called 'Baron's South'), the 23-acre property of Baron Walter Langer von Langendorff, in 1999 (hey, a bargain, apparently: "down from its original $11.5 million asking price").
Despite the huge investment, they don't seem to have done much with the property (yet), including with the house (which, though unoccupied, "retains the baron's influences, especially his predilection for pink"), but at some point they gave the Westport Library permission to store some of their excess inventory there.
It seems, however, the library went a bit overboard: as Anne M. Amato now reports in the WestportNewss, Towering stacks of library books blamed for Baron's mansion damage, as:
Since the structure wasn't designed for book-storage, it's not surprising that, for example:
Among the nice, not-fully-explained oddities about the story:
And, of course, you have to love the attitude:
Despite the huge investment, they don't seem to have done much with the property (yet), including with the house (which, though unoccupied, "retains the baron's influences, especially his predilection for pink"), but at some point they gave the Westport Library permission to store some of their excess inventory there.
It seems, however, the library went a bit overboard: as Anne M. Amato now reports in the WestportNewss, Towering stacks of library books blamed for Baron's mansion damage, as:
the storage has taken over the entire place.(Pro-tip: when the books wind up in the bathtub you know you've gone too far.)
"Every room, including the bath tubs, are filled with books," said Suggs, a member of the RTM's Library, Museum and Art Committee
Since the structure wasn't designed for book-storage, it's not surprising that, for example:
Among the problems caused to the former mansion by the heavy accumulation of stored materials is the collapse of the dining room floorThis is a great story on so many levels. First off, what local library has a seven million dollar storage facility ? (Okay, a lot of that valuation is probably the land, but still.)
Among the nice, not-fully-explained oddities about the story:
Suggs began looking into the matter several months ago after receiving a complaint from a constituent about the possibility that the library has been dumping books in its trash bin. "From there, we discovered this problem," he said.Still, I 'm just happy the library is holding onto the books (though it would probably be preferable if they were actually accessible, not boxed away).
And, of course, you have to love the attitude:
She said "a new library with a lot of storage space would solve the problem."Wouldn't it though ? And they had seven million to spend on the still undeveloped property more than fifteen years ago, surely they have a couple of million they could spend on more library space .....