Middleton Library is normally swarming with students, some with heads down, studying for their next test, some reclining and catching up with friends. But tucked away in a tiny corner on the opposite side of Community Coffee on a wall near the reference desk is a hidden treasure: the Middleton Library Book Exchange.
Deeming this school year a “year of change,” Mitch Fontenot, information literacy and outreach service librarian, counts the book exchange among a number of programs Middleton Library is enacting. The main goal of the exchange, according to Fontenot, is to give students a break from studying and a creative outlet to take their minds off the stress of classes.
“They might see that John Grisham book they haven’t read yet and want to pick up,” Fontenot said.
Books donated to the exchange aren’t the typical romance novels and dusty hardcovers. Among the collection sits numerous up-to-date copies of best-selling authors such as Dan Brown and Mary Higgins Clark. Fontenot, an avid observer of the exchange, has come across many hidden treasures throughout his time at Middleton. His favorite find is a first edition copy of Steinbeck’s “Winter of Our Discontent.”
Among the combination of books waiting to be absorbed is an assortment of textbooks, both new and old, available to all students. Located on the corner shelves of the ITS help desk are dozens of textbooks that would probably still be applicable to classes on campus.
The volumes that make up the book exchange are exclusively donations from students with extra books on their hands, alumni and people in the Baton Rouge area.
In addition to the stories written on their pages, some books in the book exchange carry stories of past owners.
One large shipment of books came from a woman whose father passed away, and while Fontenot was flipping through the boxes, he found an old Polaroid between the pages of a book.
After some research, Fontenot was able to locate the daughter of the couple in the picture and returned the Polaroid. He later found out that it was one of the only existing pictures of the couple during that time period.
According to Fontenot, many students have found an older version of the textbook required for a class still with usable information. And the best part is the price — all of the books are absolutely free.
The Middleton book exchange employs a donation policy: if you have extra books lying around, feel free to leave them for someone else. But if you don’t, don’t worry about it. Enjoy your new book.