March 25, 2015

Faculty Upset About 1000s of Discarded University of New Hampshire Library Being Tossed Into Dumpsters

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UPDATE: New Report with More Info: “Dimond discards thousands of books in dumpster” (via The New Hampshire, Student Newspaper at UNH)

According to Collection Management Librarian Jennifer Carroll, as many as 51,000 volumes have been identified for disposal by the end of the semester. This number does not necessarily represent the quantity of books that are being recycled, as a volume can consist of just one book or a whole series.

A dumpster filled with books may be a horrific image for some. But according to interviews with library administrators, it is necessary for libraries to throw away the old to make room for the new.

“It’s like pruning a tree,” said Tracey Lauder, assistant dean for library administration. “Sometimes you got to cut off a branch or two. We’re all upset about this.”

From a WMUR Report (Includes 2:33 Video):

A dumpster on the campus of the University of New Hampshire is filling up with books from Dimond Library, and professors want to know why.

Librarians said they need to make room for new science books, but one art history professor said they are throwing out volumes worth keeping.

A 20-yard bin that sits behind the library is filling up with books.

“I’m absolutely appalled,” said Patricia Emison,an art history professor. “I don’t know what’s going on. I was never consulted. It seems to me a travesty.”

Emison said valuable art history books are being thrown away.

[Clip]

The library is recycling 36,000 books and putting another 15,000 in storage. The total is about 3 percent of Dimond’s collection, and is on the move to make room for bio-science books, administrators said.

The volumes in the dumpster haven’t been checked out in at least 20 years, administrators said.

Read the Complete Article, View 2:33 Video Report

See Also:  Biological sciences library moving to Dimond Library (via UNH Library)

Hat Tip: Matt R. Weaver

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Gary Price About Gary Price

Gary Price (gprice@mediasourceinc.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. Before launching INFOdocket, Price and Shirl Kennedy were the founders and senior editors at ResourceShelf and DocuTicker for 10 years. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com, and is currently a contributing editor at Search Engine Land.
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