LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Editor,

I have always been a firm believer in the support of local libraries. I often gave new high-quality, hardbound books to them as I like to share with the local people. John Brown University Library has quite a few of my books on the shelves.

Two weeks ago, I gave to the Gentry Library several high-quality, almost-new, hard-bound books on a subject of interest to men dealing with military history.

The librarian at Gentry Library was happy to get them.

Less than a week later, I walk into the Salvation Army at Fayetteville andsee a customer place the very same books I gave the Gentry Library into his cart. If I knew Gentry Library was going to dump them, I would have never given them the books. Needless to say, Gentry Library will never get another book from me.

Randall E. Nix Gentry Editor,

If library volunteers aren't busy with other patrons when donations come in, they are instructed to tell donors that if the library already has the items being donated or can't use them, we will sell them or donate them, or offer to return the donated items back to the donor.

Currently, we have well over 100 books on military history. While we are very appreciative of those who remember the library first with their donations, we receive a large amount of donations and we can't keep everything.

Darla Threet Gentry Librarian Editor,

The books I gave were limited editions of military history and the Gentry Library does not have copies of them. They should inform everyone of their policy and allow the books to be returned to the owners if not needed by the library.

Glad I didn't donate my books by General Patton on his experiences in WW II, or my rare books on the American Indian Wars written at the time they were taking place.

Randall E. Nix Gentry Editor,

I read your article about wolves in Arkansas. This subject has always interested me, along with mountain lions.

I am a trapper in Searcy. Last week I talked to an older trapper that remembered his dad catching red wolves when he was a child. He said he caught 6 or 7. What got him started trapping themwas they were killing calves.

Coyotes rarely kill calves. The first one he caught weighed 60 something pounds and was confirmed by the AGFC to be a red wolf.

This would have been in the 1950s and early ‘60s. He pointed out coyotes were rare back then.

This is the most recent I have ever heard regardingwolves in Arkansas. The farm was between Searcy and Heber Springs in the Sidon area.

I have never seen what I believe to be a true wolf, but I have seen some rather large coyotes (40-plus pounds). I would be interested in any information you have came across since your article.

Josh Capps Searcy

Opinion, Pages 6 on 10/24/2012