26-05-2025
‘Books should have been donated': Netizens slam Yale-NUS for disposing of library collection
SINGAPORE: Netizens have expressed disappointment and frustration over the decision to dispose of Yale-NUS College library books, arguing that donating them to other libraries or individuals would have been far more beneficial.
The backlash follows widespread outrage after images and videos showed large bags of books being carted away from the Yale-NUS library at NUS Kent Ridge campus for destruction.
Yale-NUS alumna Mishael Hyat Ayub posted on the social media platform X that the books were being sent for shredding.
According to her, students were allegedly instructed not to film or take the books due to 'security reasons.'
Ayub condemned the move as wasteful and disrespectful, particularly as Yale-NUS enters its final week before closure. She criticised the explanation citing 'security concerns' and the presence of RFID tags as vague and unconvincing.
In a later post, Ayub shared that, after swift action from students and alumni, NUS had agreed to recover some books from the recycling facility, which would be redistributed through a future giveaway.
Hundreds of books are being dumped en masse by NUS. These books from the Yale-NUS Library are going to be shredded, with students requests to donate them denied. Students were asked not to film or take any books for 'security reasons'.
— mish (@mishaelhyatayub) May 20, 2025
A petition launched by concerned NUS and Yale-NUS students claimed that the books were collected by Green Orange Environ Pte Ltd on 20 May and sent to Asia Recycling Resources Pte Ltd.
A student was reportedly told the books had to be shredded due to NUS confidentiality policies.
Asia Recycling Resources later confirmed that the disposal order came from NUS and that the shredding had already been certified, making recovery impossible.
The petition called for greater transparency, demanding answers on the total number and value of books disposed of, how many were recovered, and whether any disposal alternatives or consultations were considered.
It also questioned how the decision aligned with NUS's stated sustainability goals under the NUS Sustainability Plan.
Critics said the action contradicted the university's zero-waste pledge and lamented that more community-friendly options—such as public giveaways—were not explored.
The incident comes as part of the final phase of Yale-NUS College's closure, which was announced in 2021. By 2023, the Yale-NUS library had been fully handed over to NUS.
As of 21 May, the petition had gathered over 1,000 signatures, with students and alumni continuing to call for better management of academic resources and clearer procedures in future.
Netizens Slam Destruction of Academic Books
The disposal incident has dominated online discussions, with commenters on CNA, Mothership, and The Straits Times criticising the decision as wasteful, shortsighted, and lacking accountability.
Some questioned the rationale for destroying books due to RFID tags, calling it a poor excuse from a top university.
Others described the decision as symptomatic of bureaucratic rigidity and a failure to consider alternatives.
Some users criticised the apparent lack of consultation, arguing that if students had been informed, many would have volunteered to help redistribute the books meaningfully.
Alumni expressed disappointment with what they saw as a vague and dismissive explanation from the university.
'Books Are Valuable – Why Not Donate?'
Numerous commenters questioned why the books were not donated or reused, suggesting that donating them to people would allow the books to remain useful.
One user pointed out that books are expensive and libraries exist to ensure accessibility.
'This is why libraries exist—to allow people to borrow books instead of buying them,' the user wrote.
'If the books are still relevant, they could have been donated. I wonder what schools are teaching their staff nowadays.'
One user commented that, as someone who spends tens of dollars on a single book, it is rather painful to see hundreds of books being destroyed.
Some suggested alternatives like charity auctions, which could have benefited students in need or funded research.
'Why didn't they have a charity auction, with proceeds donated to needy students or for research purposes?' one user suggested.
Others expressed disbelief that a major university would destroy usable academic resources.
'Never thought I'd see the day that a Singapore university would destroy perfectly good academic books,' one user wrote.
One commenter, Jennifer Gargiulo, a Yale-NUS lecturer who identified herself as the author of one of the discarded books, said it was 'heartbreaking' to see her work among those thrown away.
Calls for Accountability and Better Policy
Beyond criticism, netizens called for accountability, questioning who authorised the disposal and whether the decision-makers understood the value of the resources.
One commenter remarked, 'Looks like those who approved this poor decision need to get a proper education themselves,' reflecting disbelief that such a decision was made without transparent communication.
Jamus Lim: Failure of Top-Down Decision-Making
Associate Professor Jamus Lim, Workers' Party Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC, also weighed in, calling the incident a failure of top-down decision-making with no meaningful consultation.
In a Facebook post on 21 May, Lim described the disposal as distressing and emblematic of how Yale-NUS was itself shut down.
He noted that many of the books were in excellent condition and could have been redistributed with proper planning and consultation.
Lim also dismissed the RFID explanation as a technical issue that could have been easily addressed.
500 books recycled, 8,500 to be distributed at public book fairs
In response to public backlash, NUS issued an apology on 21 May over its handling of excess books from the Yale-NUS College library.
NUS University Librarian Associate Professor Natalie Pang described the incident as an 'operational lapse'.
She explained that while surplus books are typically redistributed across the NUS library system or offered to faculty and students, students were not given the opportunity to access the remaining Yale-NUS titles on this occasion.
'We understand later that many students were interested in having these books, and we would have usually acceded to their requests,' she said. 'We did not do so on this occasion, and we apologise.'
To address the oversight, the university is now organising a public book giveaway.
NUS also stated it would review and revise its internal procedures to ensure broader access to excess materials in future cases.
According to CNA, most Yale-NUS library books had already been transferred to other NUS libraries. However, surplus volumes were only made available to faculty members before disposal plans began.
In a subsequent update, NUS confirmed that 8,500 duplicate books from the Yale-NUS library will now be distributed at upcoming book fairs, reversing an earlier decision to recycle them.
The initial plan had involved disposing of 9,000 books identified as duplicates or having low utilisation, in line with standard NUS Libraries policy. Around 500 books were removed before the process was paused following public criticism.
On 21 May, Assoc Prof Pang confirmed that the affected books were part of a 45,000-volume collection and had been identified for recycling based on usage data.
NUS provost Professor Aaron Thean called the potential loss of books 'heartbreaking' and affirmed the university's commitment to finding new homes for the remaining titles.
Two public book fairs will be held in May and June to distribute the books. Details of these events will be announced in due course.
