NUS apologises for “operational lapse” over attempted disposal of Yale-NUS library books

Key Concepts:

• Book rehoming/recycling process at the National University of Singapore (NUS) libraries.
• Operational lapse in handling excess books during the Central Library relocation.
• Student interest in acquiring discarded books.
• Revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for book disposal.
• Book adoption fair for students and the public.
• Collaboration with secondhand platforms like Thryft.

1. Context and Apology:

• NUS manages approximately 4 million books, making any loss of books a significant concern.
• The speaker expresses regret for the distress caused by the book rehoming/recycling process.
• The speaker emphasizes that all books are valued.

2. Relocation and Excess Books:

• The library at NUS was closing, necessitating the relocation of books to the Central Library.
• 20% of the book volume was deemed excess due to space constraints.
• Approximately 500 excess books were mistakenly picked up by a recycling company.

3. Operational Lapse and Student Interest:

• The speaker was "aghast" to learn that books were being recycled despite student interest.
• The incident is attributed to an "operational lapse" in failing to recognize and accommodate student interest in acquiring the books.
• The speaker apologizes for not making adequate arrangements for students to own the books.

4. Revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):

• The existing SOP prioritized offering books to faculty first.
• The speaker acknowledges that outreach to faculty was insufficient in this case.
• A new SOP is being developed to address the shortcomings.

5. Past Experience and Lessons Learned:

• Historically, there has been low demand for many titles offered to students, staff, and faculty.
• The incident has highlighted the need to reassess assumptions about demand and improve the process.
• The speaker thanks students, alumni, and the NUS community for expressing their support and interest.

6. New Initiatives:

• The revised SOP will include a "book adoption fair" for students and the public.
• After the book adoption giveaway, efforts will be made to rehome remaining books through secondhand platforms.
• The speaker has contacted Thryft to explore potential collaboration for finding new homes for the books.

7. Conclusion:

• The incident has prompted a reevaluation of the book disposal process at NUS libraries.
• The revised SOP aims to prioritize student and public access to unwanted books.
• Collaboration with secondhand platforms will be explored to minimize book recycling.