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Online Citizen
26-05-2025
- General
- Online Citizen
‘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.
Straits Times
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
TBR (To Be Read): Broader implications of NUS book-dumping incident
Recent images of the National University of Singapore dumped books from the Yale-NUS College library were disheartening for book lovers in Singapore. PHOTO: ST READER SINGAPORE – It has been a roller-coaster month for book lovers in Singapore. There was good news with indie bookshops banding together to launch an online bookstore on May 14 and Epigram Books, led by its indefatigable founder Edmund Wee, changing tack to become a non-profit entity in an effort to keep publishing Singapore voices. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- General
- Straits Times
500 Yale-NUS books disposed, remaining 8,500 to be given away at book fairs
In an earlier statement on May 21, NUS had apologised for not offering the excess library books to students before they were sent for disposal. PHOTOS: ST READER, COURTESY OF MS LEE JIAYING 500 Yale-NUS books disposed, remaining 8,500 to be given away at book fairs SINGAPORE - A total of 500 books were taken away to be recycled, making up about 1 per cent of the total number of books in the Yale-NUS library. Speaking to the media on May 21, NUS university librarian Natalie Pang said that 9,000 out of the total number of 45,000 books in the college's library were duplicates or had 'low utilisation rate'. The plan was to recycle these 9,000 books, as per the standard operating processes for NUS libraries when excess titles cannot be rehomed or given away. The process for the remaining 8,500 books has since been halted since photos and videos of employees from a recycling company loading the books onto a truck had circulated online on May 20, drawing sharp criticism from alumni and members of the public who called the disposal wasteful and distressing. NUS provost Aaron Thean told the media: 'NUS houses about 4 million volumes of books... this is a big collection. So any loss of books to us is always heartbreaking.' 'All these books mean a lot to us,' he said, adding that the university will find new owners for the books at upcoming book fairs. Associate Professor Pang said that the two book fairs will be held in May and June. These will be open to all NUS students, alumni and to members of the public, she added, with details to be announced soon. She confirmed that the 500 books taken from Yale-NUS College on May 20 have since been disposed of. Going forward, the university will introduce a new process for excess books, she said. It currently first offers excess books to faculty members, rehomes them across its libraries, or offers them to other academic institutions. Recycling is always a 'last resort', she said. NUS now has seven libraries. Under the new process, NUS will reach out 'more extensively' to faculty and other academic libraries, and will hold book adoption fairs for its students and alumni, as well as the public. If the books are still not able to be rehomed, the university will work with second hand bookshops like Thryft, a thrift store based in Singapore for preloved books and other items. 'What I'm trying to do with this new standard operating procedure is to extend the shelf life of these books,' Prof Pang said. ' We did not realise there was interest from students , and we did not actually make enough arrangements to actually allow students to have the opportunity to own those books,' she said, apologising for not extensively reaching out to faculty. 'I think there's no two ways about it,' she said. 'We have to own it, and we will do better.' Piles of plastic bags containing books were spotted outside the Yale-NUS College library on May 20, prompting questions and concern from alumni. PHOTO: ST READER In an earlier statement on May 21, NUS had apologised for not offering the excess library books to students before they were sent for disposal, calling it an 'operational lapse'. Prof Pang said the university had tried to contact the recycling company, Green Orange Enviro, at around 2pm on May 20 to request that the truck return the books , after learning of students' interest. However, the company declined, even after the university offered payment and manpower to help sort the books. Yale-NUS College's last cohort graduated on May 14. The liberal arts institution, founded in 2011 through a partnership between Yale University and NUS, is being closed following an announcement in 2021 of its merger with NUS' University Scholars Programme. With the closure of Yale-NUS College, preparations to rehome its library books had been underway for about two years, Prof Pang said, adding that while the university routinely manages its library collection, the scale of this exercise was 'significantly larger' than usual. She also clarified that the books were not donated because the library was not aware of students' interest, not because of any issue involving the books' RFID tags - as claimed by some library staff at the scene on May 20, according to students' accounts. 'In the past, in our experience organising these book giveaways - whether it's for students or members of the NUS community, be it staff or faculty, there's been quite a low demand for many of these titles that we put out,' Prof Pang said. 'But, this incident has also shown us that there are lessons to learn from this,' she added. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Online Citizen
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Online Citizen
Jamus Lim criticises Yale-NUS book disposal as failure of top-down decisions without consultation
Associate Professor Jamus Lim, Workers' Party Member of Parliament for Sengkang GRC, has weighed in on the National University of Singapore's (NUS) attempted disposal of Yale-NUS College library books, describing it as emblematic of the problems with top-down decision-making carried out without meaningful consultation. Lim made the remarks in a Facebook post on 21 May 2025, a day after public criticism erupted over reports that hundreds of books from the Yale-NUS library were being discarded. NUS issued a apology on 21 May, acknowledging the misstep. In comments reported by CNA, University Librarian Associate Professor Natalie Pang called the incident an 'operational lapse'. Lim calls book disposal symbolic of top-down decisions and missed educational opportunities Reflecting on his personal reverence for books, Lim wrote, 'As a child, my mother routinely warned me never to sit on books… they were an embodiment of knowledge.' He noted that both he and his wife, as academics and bibliophiles, have long respected the value of printed knowledge. 'It was somewhat distressing… to hear about how a large number of books—previously housed at the Yale-NUS Library—had been unceremoniously discarded on a sidewalk, before they would then be shredded,' Lim wrote. He commented that this event symbolised the 'clinical manner' in which Yale-NUS College itself was shut down. Lim criticised the missed opportunity, stating that many of the books were in excellent condition and could have been redistributed with 'some advanced planning and consultation'. Lim noted reports that students passing by were prevented from taking any of the books due to concerns over RFID tags still embedded in them. He dismissed this explanation as a technicality, suggesting that such issues were easily surmountable. He cited research on the long-term benefits of book ownership, referencing studies like Freakonomics and a 2018 social science study which indicated that even the presence of books in a home is associated with improved academic outcomes in children. 'The whole sorry episode strikes me as yet another instance of how top-down decisions, made without widespread consultation with diverse stakeholders, can lead to undesirable outcomes,' he stated. Lim emphasised that while democratic processes can be messy, they help avoid 'the most egregious missteps'. Books already destroyed by time NUS intervened, says recycling company On 21 May, Assoc Prof Pang said that although excess books are usually rehomed within the NUS library system or offered to both faculty and students, this time, students were not given that opportunity. '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 situation, NUS announced it would organise a book giveaway and review its processes to ensure broader access to surplus materials in future. Most of the Yale-NUS library collection had been redistributed to other NUS libraries. However, remaining volumes were offered only to faculty. Books that were not taken were sent for recycling, which Pang said was consistent with standard library practices. The issue escalated when it was revealed that the books had already been destroyed before NUS attempted to intervene. According to an employee from Green Orange Enviro, the recycling company involved, NUS contacted them at about 3pm on 20 May to stop the recycling. By then, the materials had already been processed at Asia Recycling Resources. Students at the scene reported seeing books loaded onto recycling trucks and attempted to intervene. CNA reported that two NUS staff and two employees from the recycling firm stopped them, stating the books were 'slated for disposal' and could not be kept. An NUS librarian told students the disposal had to proceed due to a short clearance timeline set by the NUS Law Faculty and campus infrastructure team. The Straits Times cited a former senior Yale-NUS librarian who estimated the library held 40,000 to 45,000 volumes. Around 8,500 remain available for giveaway. A student-led petition titled Save the Yale-NUS Library Books has called for transparency and accountability. It claimed around 2,000 volumes, valued at over S$100,000, were destroyed, and questioned the decision's alignment with NUS's Sustainability Plan. As of 11.51am on 21 May, the petition had garnered 667 signatures. Yale-NUS College is set to close this year, with its final cohort graduating in May 2025. The NUS Law Faculty, currently based at the Bukit Timah campus, is scheduled to relocate to the Yale-NUS premises later in the year, prompting the need to clear existing facilities.
The Star
21-05-2025
- General
- The Star
NUS apologises for ‘operational lapse' in disposal of Yale-NUS library books, promises review
SINGAPORE: The National University of Singapore (NUS) has apologised for not offering excess Yale-NUS College library books to students before they were sent for disposal, calling it an 'operational lapse'. In a statement on May 21, a day after photos and videos of employees from a recycling company loading bags of books onto a truck, Associate Professor Natalie Pang, a university librarian, said that the excess books were offered only to faculty members, and not students. The statement did not mention if any, or how many, of the books disposed on May 20 were saved. 'We understand later that many students are 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 for the operational lapse.' She added that a majority of the books from the Yale-NUS College library had been rehomed within NUS libraries. The Straits Times has asked for the number of these books. Prof Pang said that to maintain the university's library collection, excess books are 'routinely rehomed' in other libraries or given away to faculty and students on certain occasions. 'Books which are not taken up are then sent for recycling, in line with common library practices,' she said. 'In view of the strong interest from students, we are now organising a giveaway on campus so that the excess books can find a new home,' said Prof Pang. ST understands that about 8,500 such books remain. 'Going forward, we are reviewing our process and will take proactive steps to distribute excess books to the NUS community and the wider public so that they can benefit as many people as possible,' Prof Pang added. A former senior Yale-NUS librarian, who wanted to remain anonymous, told ST that the library's collection size is estimated to be between 40,000 to 45,000. Photos and videos of employees from a recycling company loading the books onto a truck on May 20 had circulated among Yale-NUS alumni and were later shared on social media, drawing sharp criticism from alumni who called the disposal wasteful and distressing. The books, tightly packed in translucent white plastic bags, were seen stacked in large quantities along the pavement at the drop-off point of the college, located next to NUS' University Town in Kent Ridge. The incident drew questions and concern from alumni over what they saw as a waste of academic resources. It has since prompted a petition on addressed to NUS leadership, stating that the 'immediate priority is to support the retrieval of as many books marked for this round of disposal, and prevent future instances of similar wastage'. Alumni have asked for clarity on the number and financial value of the books that were disposed, and how many were successfully retrieved, as well as whether alternative methods of disposal were considered. They had also asked who were consulted prior to the decision to dispose books, standard operational procedures to ensure proper handling and disposal of academic resources, and measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future. 'We express deep concern over the planned disposal of a significant number of academic materials that were in good condition,' the petition said. 'While efforts may be underway to retrieve these materials, the initial intent to dispose of them raises serious questions on the responsible use of money and resources, NUS's commitment to sustainability, and the value placed on academic texts that have supported past students and may continue to benefit present students of NUS.' As at 11am on May 21, the petition has close to 600 signatures. One Yale-NUS alumnus, who requested for full anonymity, called Asia Recycling on the morning of May 21 and said that the books are likely to have been destroyed. According to the alumnus, the employee of the recycling company said that he had tried checking with Green Orange Enviro, the company which retrieved the bags of books from Yale-NUS, because students had called him to check on the books. The alumnus added that NUS did reach out to the recycling company to try to get the books back, but it was too late. - The Straits Times/ANN
