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Disposal of books lands New College library dean on administrative leave

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Published  August 19, 2024 6:07pm EDT
Sarasota
FOX 13 News

Books tossed in dumpster at New College campus

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: New College of Florida in Sarasota is facing criticism after hundreds of books were thrown in a dumpster. School officials are responding to the backlash, citing Florida law. Kimberly Kuizon reports.

SARASOTA, Fla. - The Dean of the Library at the New College of Florida is on administrative leave following a recent book-dumping incident. 

On Monday, the school confirmed that Shannon Hausinger was placed on administrative leave pending final determination of her employment in accordance with New College’s personnel regulations. This action was taken after discovering that the library did not follow all of the state administrative requirements while conducting the routine disposition of materials.

Last week, a large dumpster filled with books caught the attention of people at New College in Sarasota.

"It was such a huge amount, and I was in shock," said Natalia Benavides, an incoming senior at the school. 

READ: DeSantis signs bill scaling back some book ban rules in Florida public schools

It caused controversy that quickly spread. New College said the books were part of their annual procedures for weeding its library's collection of old and damaged books – in some cases, damaged by water leaks following Debby. 

Meanwhile, a second pile of books placed nearby caught the eye of Benavides. They're from the Student Gender and Diversity Center, a studies program that the university shut down last year. 

ORIGINAL STORY: Hundreds of books from New College dumped while students work to save what they can: 'I was in shock'

"It doesn’t matter where they come from, what mattered was saving them," Benavides said. "Because it was a shame and so incredibly shocking to think it was acceptable to disregard this many books. No matter the topic and even more insane, this came from our Gender and Diversity Center, which was a very beloved space for students, and we didn’t have the opportunity to reclaim these books like we should have because students haven’t returned to campus. It’s not just gender students and LGBTQ+ materials, it’s religious students from all various religions. There was a Holy Bible in this."

Benavides and others, including the Social Equity through Education Alliance (SEE Alliance), worked to save the books from the former student space while the books from the library were hauled away. 

"If this was standard protocol, if this is what needed to happen, why could we have not applied 55 seconds of critical thought and reach the conclusion that ‘maybe if I don’t want these books, maybe someone else does,’" said Zander Moricz, the executive director of SEE Alliance. 

President Richard Corcoran addressed the matter in a letter to the campus early Monday afternoon: 

"We want to take this opportunity to address the concerns that have been raised, clarify what has transpired, and outline the steps we are taking to move forward.

First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the frustration and concern that recent events have caused within our community, particularly among our dedicated library staff. The library is a cornerstone of our academic institution, and it is vital that we address these issues with transparency and care.

Over the past decade, our library has faced significant challenges, particularly with the maintenance of the building. Persistent roof leaks have led to repeated damage, mold, and the destruction of numerous materials. Each storm brought further deterioration, with water leaking into various parts of the library, damaging more and more books. Our staff often had to resort to covering books with plastic and using trash cans to collect water, only to see new leaks emerge elsewhere.

The recent disposal of books, which has garnered considerable media scrutiny, is closely linked to these ongoing structural challenges alongside a standard librarian process. Unfortunately, much of the coverage has been sensationalized, catering to the narratives of our critics. While the optics of seeing thousands of books in a dumpster are far from ideal, it is important to understand that the disposition of materials is a necessary process in libraries, and ensures that our collection remains relevant, up-to-date, and in good condition for our community’s use.

Every book removed from our collection was thoroughly evaluated by our team of highly-qualified academic librarians. It is crucial to note that the administration at New College has never been involved in deciding which books are selected or de-selected from the library’s collection. These decisions have always been made based on the professional judgment of our librarians, guided by the needs of our academic community.

Repairing the roof has been a top priority for the current administration. In addition to addressing these structural challenges, our administration has made significant investments in our library. This academic year, over $300,000 has been allocated for the purchase of new physical books, e-Books, journal databases and multimedia materials. These enhancements represent a major advancement in our efforts to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date library resource center for our academic community.

Lastly, some in the media have incorrectly misconstrued the repurposing of the former Gender and Diversity Center, whose books were made available to students and faculty separate from this process. 

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work together to build a more cohesive and innovative future."

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