# Tragic Book Trashing Borders to Destroy Tens of Thousands of Books as Waldenbooks Closes By Katie Cordrey | Published 2010-01-23 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/borders-book-trashing References: [huffingtonpost](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erik-ose/why-wont-borders-donate-t_b_389060.html) Borders has announced that 200 Waldenbooks book stores are set to be closed; current Waldenbooks employees report that the company plans to trash hundreds of thousands of books. The Borders book trashing has inspired a [Facebook protest](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tell-BORDERS-DO-NOT-DUMPSTER-BOOKS-when-Waldenbooks-closes-DONATE/221726111069). Because of the recession, [libraries, schools, civic organizations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/freedom-to-read-weeks) and even nations are struggling to fund reading materials. They would welcome [book donations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/literacy-campaigns) but Borders has determined that the least socially responsible course of action is better bottom line solution. It’s not a new problem, [pulping](http://thelatestoutrage.blogspot.com/2009/12/pulping-is-publishing-industrys-dirty.html) has been going on for a long time: The publishing industry makes some decent arguments for it, but in this era of on-demand printing, eBooks, and just-in-time inventory management, maybe they should rethink their business plan. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.5/10 - Popularity: 49% | Activity: 18% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Decline of Bookstores:** The closure of Waldenbooks highlights the ongoing decline of physical bookstores, creating opportunities for innovative digital platforms or subscription services. - **Book Donations:** Amidst the trashing of books, there is a growing demand for book donations, presenting an opportunity for organizations to create efficient processes for collecting and redistributing books. - **Shift to Digital Reading:** The rise of eBooks and on-demand printing signifies a shift towards digital reading, prompting opportunities for companies to develop innovative digital publishing and distribution platforms. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Digital Publishing:** With the growing popularity of digital reading, there is a need for disruptive innovations in the digital publishing industry, such as interactive eBooks or augmented reality storytelling experiences. - **Donation Organizations:** As the demand for book donations increases, there is a need for innovative organizations that can efficiently collect, sort, and redistribute books to libraries, schools, and other institutions in need. - **Subscription Services:** In the wake of physical bookstore closures, there is an opportunity for subscription-based platforms to offer curated book selections and personalized reading experiences for avid readers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Banned Books Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banned-books.md) - [Open-Air Libraries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ikea-billyotheque.md) - [Inclusive Book Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/freedom-to-read-week.md) - [Library-Based Inequity Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/latin-america-memorial-library.md) - [Book-Themed Bar Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/book-bar-toronto.md) - [Provocative Banned Books Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/banned-books-jail.md) - [Affordable Book Retailing Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shein-x-alibris.md) - [Floating Wetland Bookstore](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/xixi-goldmye-bookstore.md) - [E-Waste Take-Back Boxes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tech-take-back-box.md)