Fruit of stupidity. The town once had two libraries, overflowing with really old books. From what I've heard I'd risk many would be more than a century old or even older.
Then this hotshot librarian came to direct the librarian. Being an "author" he expunged the library of anything he deemed unworthy to be read or occupying shelf space, with a rage boner, as the two library buildings were condensed into one, with less than one tenth of the available area for book storage and display.
What was once a treasure chest for readers became a poor excuse for a reading room for newspapers.
I once tried to suggest moving towards ebooks, considering almost every person carries a decent ereader in their pocket nowadays and it was almost like uttering heresy.
So...