This is a companion to the post I did last week with reports from around the world about the state of local orgs and missions.
What came in concerning the infamous “Scientology Library Donation Campaign” tells the story, just like the Ideal Org “strategy.” of another massive fail that has been used to fleece millions from gullible public.
Here is proof that those who gave their money to place LRH books in libraries were scammed.
Of course, the first indicator that this has little to do with getting books into libraries and everything to do with making money is the fact that these “library donation” books are SOLD AT FULL PRICE.
If this is such a worthwhile thing to do for the “expansion of Scientology” why aren’t the Pubs Orgs doing this campaign AT COST? Better yet, why isn’t the IAS sponsoring this? The answer is patently obvious. It’s about the MONEY.
The people who are running this campaign KNOW the libraries send back or trash the books. It’s not like it’s a big secret. They can look on the internet too. And they can read the letters they get from librarians informing them that they received the books but they don’t have room/only stock against demand/have limited shelf space etc etc
But still, they run their campaign “We now have books in every public library in the US, now we want to get them into all school libraries” or “France is done, now we need to complete Morocco” or whatever seems to be the latest fad. They play on the disaster capitalism buttons too — typhoon in Hong Kong? They need books in their libraries. Mass shooting in Norway? They need books in their libraries. Waiting for the shopping mall in Kenya to be turned into a book dono pitch….
So, here are some reports sent in that are enough of a sampling (VERY consistent) to make clear this is complete fraud.
Also of note is that expose books ARE in demand and are available often in greater numbers than Scientology’s own materials.
San Antonio
In San Antonio, earlier this year I bought a complete “Basics” set for $20 at a library sale, and the full “L. Ron Hubbard Series, The Complete Biographical Encyclopedia” set also for $20 at another library sale. Both were in unopened packaging from Bridge Publications. Each time, staff told me Scientology materials go straight to the remainder bin due to lack of interest.
Washington DC
I live here in the Nation’s Capital where even OSA has its own building (Formerly the Fraser Mansion)
7 Scientology Books (2 DMSMH ’79 & ’07) (’72 POW) (’88 Fundamentals of Thought) (’90 Clear Body Clear Mind) (’99 The Background Ministry Ceremonies…)(’92 What is Scientology)
10 Anti-Scientology Books
LA County Public Libraries
In LA county there are approximately 90 libraries. I did a search on their website. There are not even 2 books per library. And many of the books are his fiction books, DVDs or in a foreign language.
San Francisco Public Library
80% are available only from the reserve desk, and are single copies. Of the remaining 20% of those 27 books, 50% are “missing” from the stacks, Again, only single copies. I did not index books on tape, but from the above statistical data, I would be surprised if any exist. The remaining 51 books on the subject are authored by former members (Reitman, Hill) or criticisms (Wright, et al). The old man does do well in the Sci Fi stacks, which is a busy section of the library. I didn’t take time to take a count because it didn’t seem relevant to your request.
Additional Information: Yelp has two reviews of Scientology locations in S.F. These are amusing. One is closed (ironically, near the SF Main Library), and the other is in the original A.P Giannini/Bank of America building near the financial district. Lovely architecture with iron work atop. Doesn’t appear to attract much foot traffic, and the locals don’t take notice much. Here are links to the Yelp reviews: http://preview.tinyurl.com/ntx2vcn http://preview.tinyurl.com/mx6yk6y
Wyoming Public Libraries
Number of Scientology Churches in Wyoming = 0
When I (shudder) asked COS to locate the church closest to my location, it gave me the Denver, Colorado Org, 352 miles from my location. Of course I used Google to ask it that question, so that is hearsay.
Our library cards are good for the entire state, so I searched the entire Wyoming Library System.
There were 4 (FOUR) titles authored by LRH in the entire STATE. This is down from 6 books in my County 2 years ago.
Problems of Work – 1 copy exists in the State.
DMSMH – 1 copy exists in the State.
There are not even any of LRH’s fiction books in any of the libraries in the State of Wyoming any more.
There are, strangely enough, 2 articles published in the 1995 Trade Publication Chemical Business about problems in India with LRH listed as the Author discussing chemical problems in India and ARC and Exchange; the June 1995 Volume 8, Issue 11, Page 87 (4 pages) and August 1995 Volume 9, Issue 1, Page 72 (5 pages) that exist in 1 library in Wyoming.
In contrast, the term Scientology appears quite frequently. Unfortunately for Teeny Fists, without exception, EVERY SINGLE FREAKING TIME IT APPEARS IT IS NEGATIVE. There 689 magazines, 174 newspapers, 67 academic journals and 66 reviews which portray Scientology in a NEGATIVE light in the state of Wyoming.
Yep, their promo is correct. Scientology is Finished in Wyoming.
Anchorage, AK
Here are some library stats for Anchorage, AK Pop. Approximately 295,000.
A little background, about 3 years ago we had a fundraiser at the local mission for donations for sets of the Basic Books to the libraries in Anchorage as well as other populated areas in the state. I’m estimating 5-8 sets were sold. I did research at the library yesterday and this is what I found;
DMSMH 1978 1
DMSMH 1
Introduction to Scn DVD 2006 4
Fundamentals of Thought 1988 1
FOT 2007 1
What is Scientology 1992 1
What is Scientology 1998 2
What is Scientology 1978 2
Scientology 8-80 1973 1
Problems of Work 1988 1
POW 1972 1
15 Total Scientology Books in Anchorage Alaska Libraries.
Other BOOKS
Beyond Belief – Jenna Miscavige 2013 Many locations
Going Clear – Lawrence Wright Many Locations
Inside Scientology – Janet Reitman Many locations
Going Clear – Lawrence Wright 3 copies prominately displayed
Beyond Belief 3 copies
Inside Scientology 2 copies
Coincidentally, I ran into someone who is still onlines at the local mission. He said the mission was only open 2 nights/week for 1 1/2 hrs. an evening. When I was there a year ago, it was open 3 nights/week for 3 hrs/night. Also, shortly before I left the church, a field auditor had moved to AK to help boom the mission. A couple of months ago he relocated to Portland as he wasn’t able to make a viable living as an auditor up here. So much for straight up and vertical. Looks like our donations never made it into the libraries or else the libraries got rid of the books that our donations bought as there was only 1 book from the 2007 release of The Basics that was currently in a local library.
On another note, there were 4 of us who left the church around 1 year ago. I have completed 2 L’s in the indie field, 2 others have started on Solo 1 and the other started onto OT V after being stalled in the church for over 30 years!
Knox County Libraries, Tennessee.
Population 436,929 (Largest city is Knoxville) There are 20 Library Branches in Knox County, including the John C Hodges Library on the Univ of Tenn campus.
The numbers below represent how many of each book or kind of book TOTAL in all of the branches:
Scientology Books
DMSMH (1990) – 1
DMSMH (1995) – 1
DMSMH (2007) – 1
Intro to Scn Ethics (2007) -1
Fundamentals of Thought (2007) – 1
Fundamentals of Thought (1988) – 4
Dianetics 55! (2007) – 1
Scn Basics: 0-8 (2007) – 1
What is Scientology? (1990) – 1
Clear Body Clear Mind (1990) – 1
Humanitarian: Road to Self Respect – 2
Total Scientology Books= 15
Negative Books
Going Clear by Lawrence Wright – 7
Beyond Belief by Jenna Miscavige – 2
Inside Scn by Janet Reitman – 2
Inside Scn by Janet Reitman (audio) – 1
Inside Scn by Janet Reitman (ebook) – 1
LRH: Messiah or Madman? by Bent Corydon – 1
Other Scn books not sanctioned/published by the Cof$ – 22
None of Marty or Marc Headley’s books 🙁
Total Anti-Scientology Books= 36
Hong Kong
One of Asia’s major metropolises with 7 million people:
Number of orgs: 0
Number of missions: 0
Number of Scn or DN books in ANY public library: 0
Number of Scn or DN books – Chinese or English – available in ANY public bookstore: 0
Ottawa Canada Public Library
Here is my report on LRH or related books currently available in all branches of the entire network of Ottawa Public Libraries per their web site. Please note that entries include books in stock or available.
- DMSMH= 1
- The Dynamics of Life= 1
- DTOT= 1
- The Scn Handbook =1
- Dianetics Today =1
- WIS =3
- POW = 1
- TWTH =1
- Dianetics The Evolution of a Science =1
- Scn 8-8008 =1
- Handbook for Preclears = 2
- SOS =2
- A New Slant on Life =2
- ITSE =2
- A History of Man= 2
- The Creation of Human Ab.= 1
- The original Thesis =1
- Dianetics 55 =1
- FOT =1
- Self Analysis= 1
- Scn 0-8 =1
Total Scientology Books in the state of Ottawa = 28
Prince William County VA library system.
Prince William is one of the 10 richest counties in the U.S. and has over 400,000 people. There are 10 full service libraries in the county. Here is what I found:
– FOT 1 copy
– Have You Lived Before 2 copies
– Child Dianetics 2 copies
– Clear Body, Clear Mind 2 copies
-NSOL 1 copy
– Dianetics – shown but no copies
– Introduction to Scientology – 1 copies
– 8008 – 2 copies
– How to use Dianetics 2 copies
Now here is something strange. There are actually 29 additional books in Spanish ranging from Dianetics 55 to the Axioms. There are a good number of Spanish speakers in the county, but they are a minority. Not sure why there are more copies of books in Spanish than English. Not a single copy of ANY book by Hubbard is checked out, which is why they are discarded by librarians to clear shelf space for more active check outs.
Randburg library in Joburg North vicinity.
Not one LRH book.
I understand that this is quite an old post, but I wanted to respond from the point of view of a Director of a public Library in Michigan. We received the L Ron Hubbard encyclopedia set, as well as numerous other materials from the Church of Scientology. The truth is, we do not want them. As the Library Director, as soon as any of these materials are received I consign them directly to the trash, where they belong. This is a very common practice among librarians.
Come to think of it, regarding “Where did the money go?” it seems like a great way to fleece money directly to the top.
…because in my case, the upper orgs already got their percentage when the income first went into the account. Then, when I agreed to use to balance to donate books and ASHO cut a check for the full balance, they literally got that percentage again, and ASHO lost money in the transaction.
Thanks, I just flashed back to when they emptied my ASHO account ($11k) for “library donations.” *ouch*
The full price thing is all that’s needed to show it’s a scam. If were really an altruistic thing to get the books into libraries, they’d only be asking for enough money to cover the actual cost of printing and shipping. But no, you have to cough up 3 fucking thousand dollars for a full set of basics to send, only to have them sold off for less than maybe $100. Or just tossed in the trash. What a scam.
What nobody mentions here is we live in the age of digital media. Why libraries when you can go to the Internet? It’s obviously a moneymaking scam as otherwise the books & lectures could simply be made available on the Internet, free of charge. Take it or leave it.
Hell, who wants to run around with an entire library when they fly to Flag to study? eBooks, mp3 anyone? Oh, I just remembered… teh Internet is a baaad, baaad place.
And you do get asked on A-J if you illegally downloaded anything or looked at anti-Scientology sites. Sorry, guys.
I live in L.A. and have gone to only two main libaries where I found four LRH books: 1 Dianetics, 1 THTH, 1 Happy Marriage and another. Also 4 anti scientology which were checked out. Ours were sitting on the shelf.
Also, I recentely purchased ACC’s 1, 2 and 3 and Western Conferenes on E-Bay for a total of $150.00 ( s&h inc); , I wonder how much they would have cost me otherwise.
I work as a work study student at the Art Institute of Colorado’s library and there are 24 items about Scientology in the Ai Library system… across the nation and in Canada!
The L Ron Hubbard, author, data page from the Multnomah County Library (Portland, Or). Note that of 54 total items, 49 are available. I counted up last week, and I think that of the total titles, about 25 are the sci-fi books.
http://multcolib.bibliocommons.com/search?t=author&search_category=author&q=l%20ron%20hubbard&commit=Search&sort%5Bfield%5D=PUBLISHED_DATE&sort%5Btype%5D=BIB_FIELDS&sort%5Bdirection%5D=descending
So let me see if I understand the scam correctly: The parishioners at a local ‘Org’ make donations to a fund at their ‘church’, for which they get a charitable deduction. The Org purchases the volumes at full-price from the Sci publishing arm, generating high profit per unit as each book is created with no labor costs as noted above; then the Org ‘donates’ the unwelcome sets to the local library, for which they get a charitable deduction?
According to a thread at another site, the books are not recyclable due to the glue used to secure the cover; it has to be sliced off and there is no profit in setting up a little business to do that. So most all those sets of LRH writings have gone to the landfill. According to the above video, 13 53-foot truckloads of the them. Ugh.
I just checked out a bunch of COS books from the Kent State University Library in Kent Ohio. The ones available, on site–and I only wanted books about COS not any Sci-Fi:
Miracles for Breakfast (not a LRH book, but a COS based book)
Scientology the Fundamentals of Thought by LRH
The American inquisition : U.S. government agency harassment, religious persecution, and abuse of power (Published by the COS)
Religious Nature and Community Activities (published by the COS)
Sci-Fi on Main Campus, available off site and/or at Branch Campuses, they have 76 books, including some more COS books by LRH at branch campuses which I’m going to request.
Can’t edit comment, wanted to add that a couple of the books I got state that they were donated by a man in Texas (I don’t feel it’s right to post his name) and they’re all stamped from a San Antonio Mission. I figure he might have been a Kent State alumni?
Miracles For Breakfast – I remember that one. It was by Ruth Minshull. It was banned as being “non-Source” or some such bullshit many years ago. “How to Choose Your People” was another book by Minshull. They were much easier to read than Hubbard’s stuff and thus were very popular in their time (early 1970s).
I frequent a couple of libraries in San Diego. I asked at both about the big book set sendout. The first time there was this huge push was GAT I iirc. But, despite glowing reports that the books had gotten to 100% of Socal libraries, mine had no idea what I was talking about. However, during that time, you could walk by the org and see stacks of boxes of volumes of Hubbard. Just “somewhere else.” The cult thrives “somewhere else, ” always.
About 3 months ago I checked the Sonora, CA Library for Scientology books.
They only had 2. One was ‘What is Scientology’, the other ‘A New Slant on Life’.
I know that at LEAST 2 full sets had been donated to that library.
Greta
What would the actual printing cost be of one set of basics considering the free labor against the selling or rather robbing price.
My guess is about 3 or 4 dollars a book. Basically the cost of the paper and binding.
I had a friend in Clearwater who wasn’t a Scieno but was interested in reading about it. He went on Craigslist and found a Scieno lady who listed the ENTIRE Basics books AND lectures for $150. He literally had one phone call with her and talked her down to $90.
IN CLEARWATER.
OK, Vancouver Public Libraries. We have a lot of library books by and about Scn. From the classics to the Basics. We also have a lot of library books critical of Scn. Which elicit much more interest:
LRH/Scn/CoS:
LRH: A Profile – 1
Ron: Philosopher and Founder – 1
Ron: Humanitarian – 1
Ron: Writer – 1
DMSMH Audiobook – 2
TWTH – 2
NSOL Audiobook – 2
FOT Audiobook – 2
DMSMH (2007) – 2 (1 checked out)
Evolution of a Science Audiobook – 2
FOT – 3
EOS 2007 – 2
0-8 – 1
CHA – 1
HfP – 1
Dn55! – 1
APA – 1
POW Audiobook – 1
NSOL 2007 – 1
HOM – 1
Dn: Original Thesis Audiobook – 1
8-80 – 1
8 – 8008 – 1
POW – 1
TWTH Audiobook – 1
SOS – 1
Intro to Scn Ethics – 1
SA – 1 Checked Out, has a hold on it
DMSMH 2002 Audiobook – 1
EOS 1989 – 1
NSOL 1988 – 1
How To Live though an Executive – 1
Dianetics Today 1975 – 1
The Background and Ceremonies of the Church of Scientology of California, World Wide 1970 – 1
Scn Handbook 1994 – 1
WIS? 1978 – 1
WIS? 1992 – 1
Scn Handbook DVD 2011 – 1
Problems of work DVD 2010 – 3, 1 checked-out
TWTH DVD 2009 – 2
Dianetics 2003 DVD – 2
Scn Overview 2008 DVD – 1
This is Scientology 2004 DVD – 1 checked-out
Scn Theology and Practice of Contemporary Religion – 1
Scn Critical:
Going Clear, Wright – 24 in system, 12 checked-out, 10 holds
Messiah or Madman, Corydon – 1
Bare-Faced Messiah – 2, both checked-out
Schwarzbuch Scientology, Caberta – 1
Religion Inc, Lamont 1986 – 1
CoS Hugh Urban – 2
Scn: The Now Religion, Malko 1970 – 1
Inside Scientology, Reitman ebook – available through electronic resources online
Inside Scientology, Reitman Audiobook – 3
Inside Scientology, Reitman – 3 in system, all checked-out, 1 hold
Beyond Belief, Hill – 20 copies in system, 8 checked-out, 6 holds
Church of Fear, Sweeney – ebook available thru electronic resources
Church of Fear, Sweeney – 3 in system 1 checked-out
Mind Benders, Vosper 1971 – 1
Counterfeit Dreams, Hawkins 2010 – 1
Naked Scientology, William Burroughs – 2
Pro-CoS:
J. Gordon Melton – Scientology 2000 – 1
Hidden Story of Scientology, Garrison 1974 – 1
Here are my search results for Hemet, CA and Clearwater, FL
http://youtu.be/ceSrFJKhYws
And here’s the e-mail where the trained liars proclaim that the US Library Campaign is 100% done
http://youtu.be/fKFgCUiqstg
You know, it’s one thing for an individual staff member to just make up something off the top of their head to pacify a concerned public, but this……..this is something altogether different. This is lying at its worst – and on a grand scale. It’s a Big Lie, and straight from the top.
There is no way in hell that church management isn’t fully aware that 99% of the donated books paid for by trusting public, have gone in the trash, or into discount bins. And knowing that, they intend to foist yet another library campaign upon their people.
What utter con artists. They can’t collapse soon enough, as far as I’m concerned.
Thanks for another dose of tales from the cuckoo’s nest, Mike. So now what else can one deduce from all this futile moping around (or is that mopping up?) in the current implosion? Oh! Silly me! Now I get it — some rarified few, still see HIM as a real STAR?….. while the rest of the world begins to see him as he is….a disaSTAR!…. Sucking has never been so….. shall we say…….desperate??
For me,the library scam was the straw which broke the donkeys back.
I donated and felt sooooo guilty that I didn’t do more. At the begining of this year, I went and actually looked for the basics in some of the local libraries.
Yip! Nothing there!!
Its a scam. Not even a very complicated one at that. Its a scam based upon MY willingness to HELP.
I have been betrayed.
If the CofS can lie so easily to ME about the library campaign, what else are they lying about?
Makes you think………………………………………
“what else are they lying about?”
Practically everything. But I use a simple decription code: reverse their claims and accusations and you get quite close to the truth.
Local Library puts Corporate Scientology book donations on the
50 cents each table when they come in , no questions asked.
There is no written policy for this ,it is just done without any discussion.
Well now that we are talking about facts I searched the Libraries in Mexico City – there are 25 million habitants and a percentage of 5 libraries for each 100,000 people.
I entered one main Library – Porrua – and searched on all its branches. Could only found 4 LRH fiction Books.
Proceeded to look at Guadalajara – second largest city in Mexico – with 9 million habitants.
It has over 250 libraries and, in the main one, Gandhi there are 0 LRH Books.
In Porrua Guadalajara we found 2 DMSMH, 1 Original Thesis, 2 New Slant of Life and about 5 Science Fiction LRH’s books.
Of course there are other 100 libraries in such a large City, but this search provided those facts.
An entire Basics Book package and lecture set was retrieved from a dumpster behind a library in San Diego awhile back. These books are just tossed. The church is scamming the public big time. On another note, Los Angeles is an excellent place to be an Indie. After I fled the insanity I was able to find a trusted auditor, get my Clear cycle handled in very short order, and onto and up through OT3 in short order for a FAIR price. I was STOPPED and PREVENTED from going free in Corp Scn. And, technically, my case was mishandled. The CCRD line in the church is a dicey deal. Once you get a taste of what Scientology really is, outside the barbed wire of the cult, you’ll never regret your decision. leaving Corporate Scientology is the best assurance that anyone has of getting good service and making it. Once you have the perspective of being out, and being fully “in the know” (having the false data handled and apprised as to what has REALLY been going on in the church in the last 30 years) -you will be blown away-you’ll never be the effect of the suppression again. Ask any Jew if they would have wanted to go back to Auschwitz, and thats the same scenario for an Indie in regards to Corp Scn….no…F’ing way!
Loving your posts here, Doug. They’re always dead on the money, and say more in a few sentences than most of us can say in paragraphs. Keep ’em coming, bro.
Fantastic Doug! I’m in LA too and my whole family has done 5 L’s, a clear attest, 3 reviews, and a life repair. I’ll never go back to the straight jacket called the corp. church. Flourish and prosper!
Did ANYONE who replied mention”Basics” or “Encyclopedia” actually being shelved anywhere? How many millions were scammed for people to stock those two sets alone? It seems to me that the books which are actually shelved are old and probably were really donated at some point. There seem to be so many blatant many frauds going on at the same time, how can anyone unravel them? Oh if only there were blogs . . .
Wow, this is dismal. I know plenty of Scns who were fleeced to donate book pkgs to the library campaign. One woman couldn’t continue on SoloNots because all her money that was earmarked for refreshers and for completing the level was taken for the library campaign. It stopped her on her bridge and prevented another one of the “10,000 on Solo Nots” campaign to be run. So the church is sabotaging its own projects and orders. And look at Los Angeles. LA has the largest concentration of Scns in the world, even more than at Flag, and there are almost no LRH books in the largest concentration of not only Scns but also of Ideal Orgs. I visited some LA libraries and found there were some Anti-Scn books there. So “what the public wants” per this study above is to read the truth about Scn (the “anti” stuff) and not to read the straight stuff from the Old Man. That’s what bad PR will do for you. Well done to DM on having straight up and vertical bad PR stats.
Why doesn’t the Church first do a “really find out survey” of what do these libraries need, and then align there promotion with that.
Why isn’t the Church using its own technology?
.
Vinaire,
Why isn’t Scientology using its own technology.
One does not ask questions you know the answers to.
Especially if the answers get you in really hot water boiling.
LOL! You know the routine! Haha.
.
Why doesn’t the Church first do a “really find out survey” of what do these libraries need, and then align there promotion with that.
Why isn’t the Church using its own technology?
The church abandoned the actual tech of Scientology long ago. They run on ‘command intention’, screaming emergencies, group bank, and the dead weight of inertia these days.
The management and organizational tech that Ron spent half a life putting down in the green vols, is little more than ancient scripture, consigned to the value of historical interest only, these days.
back in the day the 80’s and early 90’s I had my suspicions and took it upon myself to check out the local libraries in my area which I did. A couple Dianetics books and a few sci-fi books was all I ever saw. I went to 6 libraries. I remember writing this up as so much money was being donated by friends of mine that I felt it was a scam then and guess what it was!!!! Millions of $$$$$$$$$$$$$ went into bogus book campaigns!!!
Sorry for the completely ‘off topic’ post Mike but was wondering if you knew anything about the last 2 graduations at Flag being cancelled.
I posted something on Facebook yesterday that He canceled Graduation because he is “too busy” preparing for GAT II/Super Power/IAS/New Years/Second Coming/Armageddon or whatever…. Thery had been telling everyone they HAD to attend Graduation all week and then around 3pm started calling everyone to let them know it had been cancelled (“but next week is going to be the best ever”).
It’s a never ending stream of lies…
It seems that something is up. Maybe a revolt. I sure hope so.
It seems like the right environment for a revolt! It is eminent or the Co$ will self destruct very soon.
David Miscavige is gone from the Int base – so maybe some people there are planning something – good time for them to talk.
Any ideas of what it is like when Miscavige is gone from the Int base? Does he have cameras everywhere and tape recorders to listen in to any room on the base and does this all day?
I will be so happy when it collapses in on itself!
Second Coming… there is a really cool scifi saga by Kevin J. Andersen, called “Saga of Seven Suns”. In it, the Chairman of the Hanseatic League (who runs Earth and colonies) operates in the background and has a fake puppet king as “representative” and “spokesperson”. I know, DM would loathe to give up the limelight, he enjoys it more than power. But wouldn’t it be funny if he actually presented some guy as “LRH in his new body”? It would take a lot of training to come across as a credible LRH 2.0, of course, but if it could be accomplished, the scam could go on forever…
Completely off the wall, but it’s almost as much fun as speculating when and how the final hour will strike.
I just did a search on the nation wide search engine for dutch libraries came up with this
“Resultaten 1 – 10 van 130 voor Hubbard, L.Ron (author)”
http://zoeken.bibliotheek.nl/
Many of them fiction
Our country has about 17 million people in it