From the UK Telegraph:
Outrage as city with new £188m library ask readers for help buying books
A council which spent £188million on a state-of-the-art new library has been criticised by readers and authors after it ran out of money and asked the public to donate books.
Libraries in Birmingham have posted notices requesting members donate their new and recently-released books, saying they would be “gratefully received”.
Birmingham City Council confirmed it had placed its own book fund on "pause", after being compelled to make “huge savings” across the board as a result of budget cuts nationwide.
It will now only consider buying new books on a “case by case basis”, depending on demand, and would welcome "any support" from the public, a spokesman said.
And this is just a city library - not like it's a branch of the Library of Congress or the English equivalent. There is a photo of the building - really fugly. Modern architecture at its ghastliest.
Makes me wonder how much public input there was - I doubt anyone would have voted for the building at that cost.
A tip of the hat to Peter at Bayou Renaissance Man for the link.