Is the world in need of additional copies of The American Mercury?
November 12, 2020 6:39 AM Subscribe
I have a large collection of cardboard boxes filled with good-condition, chronologically organized American Mercury magazines to deal with. Are there people/institutions in the world who'd actually want them? (If so, how might I go about finding them, besides just calling libraries near me?) My inclination is "no, those've probably all long-since been digitalized and should be treated like National Geographic hoards, i.e. recycled," but maybe one of you knows better? They seem to be from the earlier end of the magazine's publication dates but I haven't opened them all yet.
Best answer: No, the world does not need more copies of The American Mercury. Many libraries have runs of the early, literary version of the publication, and the best of the early years have been anthologized in several different volumes. Post WWII, the American Mercury turned into an extreme right wing dumpster fire. Speaking as a librarian, I suggest recycling the lot.
posted by niicholas at 9:28 AM on November 12, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by niicholas at 9:28 AM on November 12, 2020 [5 favorites]
I enjoy reading the physical magazines and shudder to think of them being recycled, but the early years have been digitized.
posted by Scram at 10:19 AM on November 12, 2020
posted by Scram at 10:19 AM on November 12, 2020
Alas, this is true of most magazines. A possible exception are the hard-cover bound issues of "Horizon." I also see from Google shopping that there are some copies of "American Mercury" being offered for sale. It makes me feel even older than I am to admit I still like paper but the world has moved on.
posted by tmdonahue at 10:23 AM on November 12, 2020
posted by tmdonahue at 10:23 AM on November 12, 2020
Early issues from the 20s and 30s especially are selling on eBay for amounts that potentially make it feasible to sell copies and make some money. Whether it's worth your while to sell them there would depend on your experience with eBay selling and the value of your time.
If you're just looking for permission to recycle them, than niicholas's answer is fine, but they aren't worthless.
posted by Jahaza at 12:17 PM on November 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
If you're just looking for permission to recycle them, than niicholas's answer is fine, but they aren't worthless.
posted by Jahaza at 12:17 PM on November 12, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by aniola at 7:12 AM on November 12, 2020 [1 favorite]