February 10, 1983
[To the Indiana State Library]

I am in receipt of a letter from your research librarian…, which tells me that your institution is no longer able to buy books. She asks that I give the State of Indiana a copy of my latest novel, DeadeyeDick. I have complied with this request.

Since books are to libraries what asphalt is to highway departments, I assume that Indiana is also asking donations from suppliers of asphalt for her roads. Or has it been decided that asphalt is worth good money, and that books are not?

It may be that whoever told [her] to write that letter supposed that I myself get all the books I want for free. I in fact must pay for them what bookstores pay. So what I have sent you represents an actual outlay of about $7.00, plus postage and the price of…