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MT Books Question - Old MT, Getting Out

Posted: Dec 08, 2012

Hi all,

I have a bunch of Stedman's word books that I don't want to go through the trouble of selling. I just want to maybe donate them somewhere in one swoop, but where would one donate something like this? I am not wanting to ship them anywhere, either.

Any ideas, smart people? I stopped updating my books some years ago when our pays weren't what they were before that, and also with the Internet they weren't as big a necessity as years prior. I never updated all of them to begin with, because many of them were quite useful just as they were, timeless of a sorts. Some are likely 10 years old. probably have about 15, pretty much all the specialties, plus some odds and ends reference books, abbrev book, lab diagnostics...

Good question - RelicGirl

[ In Reply To ..]
I have the Stedman's gamut myself and hardly ever look at them anymore although just once in awhile you will find a word in one of them that could not be found on the internet, fancy that? You could put them on Ebay or Craig's List or just donate them to GoodWill or Salvation Army. I am sure you have thought of all these things yourself. Perhaps a doctor's office may want them that still employ MTs. Do some calling around. Best wishes in your new life out of MT.

Thanks - See Msg

[ In Reply To ..]
I thought of doing the EBay thing, I just don't want to get involved in shipping them anywhere. I hadn't thought about the Salvation Army/Goodwill. I also hadn't thought about the doctor's office, duh!

When I got over the - urge...

[ In Reply To ..]
to put all of them in a big pile, light it on fire and dance around for joy like a crazy person, I might see if any nearby community college or high school had an MT program you could donate them to. Good luck!

LOL, but... - Old MT, Getting Out

[ In Reply To ..]
That is too funny about the urge to burn them. You know, though, a part of me just doesn't want to get rid of them at all. They remind me of when things were sooooo good in this business. I so enjoyed looking things up in them.

About 6 years ago, I had myself a good cry or 2 or 3, mourned the business for what it used to be, then kept working another 6 in the biz with my sites on getting out. My new non-MT job starts on Monday the 10th.

It's a very, very sad thing for me. I just LOVED transcribing. ASR editing, I did not, but if they at least had paid me for all that editing headache, I'd still be doing it. And, of course, there's the NJA factor and having to use my own vacation time, time off, etc., making it up.

Loved your suggestion about donating to an MT school.

better idea...put them in the fireplace if you have one - to help with heating your house. n.m.

[ In Reply To ..]
.

To Burn or not to burn - Old MT, Getting Out-nm

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xx

Donate to the local community college or ROS (whatever it is called) - me

[ In Reply To ..]
Donate to the local community college for their students or your local AHDI chapter. When I first started, that is where I bought most of my books (AAMT chapter), and the school would certainly appreciate it if they have a transcription program or even coding/healthcare.

I hadn't thought about coding - Good idea. Thanks-nm

[ In Reply To ..]
xx

More thoughts - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
My local library sponsors a book sale every year where the proceeds go to help defray library costs, you could also donate them to the library. The local college was a good idea if thay have an MT program but generally coding students need more than word books as just knowing how things are spelled is not enough, I would think the same thing would apply for MT students and those programs generally have required textbooks. The Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores are good ideas too, you never know who might need that type of reference book. My employer used to buy books for us but stopped years ago when everything went electronic. What we still had on hand got recycled when our department closed, although I have held on to a few of mine.

I did think about the library - Was not sure if they would want them

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks so much. Couldn't hurt anything. Libraries are big on preserving reference tools.

Old MT - Old Pro

[ In Reply To ..]
Are there any locally-based MT organizations in your city? I saw one woman once list right on this board that she would give her books to someone in her city if they would come and pick them up and she connected with someone by e-mail and they did the exchange. Not sure if you would be comfortable with that, but it is in an idea. Are there any community colleges that teach MT near you?

Thanks - Old MT, Getting Out

[ In Reply To ..]
I should check into community colleges, but I don't think there's one close by. I do know there's a tech/vocational school nearby. I should look into that.

Re the tears in the books. Mine have a few, too!

Not to mention, they had a nice color scheme to my office!

The only books I - I have left

[ In Reply To ..]
are my black surgery word book and the big gray Dorland's. Transcriptions Limited actually gave me these and a huge Stedman's dictionary when I first started what seems like a hundred years ago.

All other books I acquired over the years I recently took to Goodwill. I just didn't have the heart to throw them in the recycle bin. I don't know why I'm holding on to those two, as they haven't been cracked in ages. Relics of a bygone and better day? ... *sigh*

I cant part with mine - crybaby

[ In Reply To ..]
Back when I started school for MT some 19 years ago, I had just gotten divorced, was a single mom of 2, had to work and go to school, and I struggled hard. Then, after I graduated, I went to work in an office for 2 years before coming home, and although paid low, I needed the experience. Then applied to an at home position, and needed all those books, and I struggled to pay for them all. I went without food for those books. I bought a full set and I was so proud of my books. After all these years of using them, throwing them, banging my head on them, writing in them, and crying on them, I cannot get rid of them. I know, I have to get over it. I have not used any of them in years.

crybaby - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I feel the same way and I just don't know why! I rarely, if ever, use them. Back when I started as an MT over 26 years ago, my books were spread out all over my desk and I used them every day. Up until a few years ago, I updated them periodically, but I no longer do that. Again today, I dusted them off while I was dusting the rest of the house.

Since I am now a coding student and will hopefully be out of MT within a few months, I suppose I should finally consider parting with them. Now that I think about it, I should probably consider selling and/or donating all of my spare foot pedals, software, Boostaroo, etc. :)

I will take the boostaroo - crybaby

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I cant walk away from this job either. Man... how did I get so weak?

When I'm done with MT, you can have my Boostaroo! - nm

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:)

I will buy it. You dont have to give it to me - crybaby

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You are very kind though. Thank you.

Goodwill . . . seriously. - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
If you do not want to sell them yourself through Amazon.com or another online source, just donate them to Goodwill. They have a very sophisticated book sales operation now that will make good use of them. They sell online and ship nationwide.

You will be providing jobs for their workers and providing books for people who can't afford to buy them at full price.

If a local school has an MT program, perhaps they will take your books, but very often they take them to be polite and then toss them out.

Coding and other healthcare programs would have no use for them--that isn't the kind of reference they need. Their students usually buy dictionaries early in the program, so they would have that already.

Local libraries typically do not want them, either. Really, Goodwill and possibly the Salvation Army are the best and probably the most deserving recipients.

If they are that old, and you are sentimental - FBL

[ In Reply To ..]
about them (which I totally understand), why not use them in an art project? Paper mache? Wallpaper a bathroom? Glue together closed to make bookends or shelf supports? Something that will make you smile when you look at it.

Uses For Old MT Reference Books: - Meerkat - s/m

[ In Reply To ..]
I rarely use them anymore - everything I need can be found faster, and more up-to-date, on the Internet.

Here's what I use mine for:

* Under my monitor, to raise it to the correct height for comfortable viewing.

* As drink coasters, in order to protect my desk and other furniture.

* As a doorstop.

* Underneath a lamp, to raise it up so it casts more light when I'm sewing.

* As makeshift steps, so my elderly cat can get up and down from her favorite high piece of furniture, without having to jump.

* As a cat-food dish stand, so that elderly cat with sinus issues can have her food dish at chest height, and eat more comfortably than with the bowl on the floor.

* As a paperweight.

* As book-ends in the living room bookcase, on one shelf that doesn't have enough books to go all the way across.

* Underneath the washing machine to make it level, so it doesn't walk across the kitchen floor on the spin cycle.

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