Thanks So Much for Donating that Errand

"Do you accept these?"
Proferred several plastic shopping bags of CDs. As a rule, they don't make it into the collection becasue they've been played into the dirt already, but the Friends of The Library can probably sell them. So, gratefully accepted.

After she leaves, I can't resist. I pull open the first bag. A standard 90s mix, Miseducation of Lauren Hill, Macy Grey. Those should fetch a few bucks each at the next sale, so score. Or GOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLL, as you soccer fans bray tiresomely (sorry, still recovering from people's temporary interest in the World Cup).

Out of curiosity, I opened Lauren Hill to see how gently it had been treated. The case was empty. I looked in Macy. Empty. Babyface? Empty. Bob Dylan's Time Out of Mind? Well, the insert was in perfect condition, but the disc was gone. I began opening them one after another. Empty empty empty. I gave up after about 8 in one bag and 5 in the other, since the results were the same. So now we don't even have something for the upcoming sale. How could it be? She didn't leave her name, of course, so I can't ask her if maybe she has a separate collection of just the discs someplace that she forgot about.

Great, just what the world needs, more landfill. I don't want to just toss them in the dumpster, though. So should I take out the paper sleeves first and at least recycle those? Does anybody want a stack of scuffy jewel cases? Probably the second they get carted away by the trash guys, the patron will be back with a big oops and all the discs.