On 20 May 2025, large volumes of books from Yale-NUS Library were seen transported to a recycling management facility. There were approximately 60 to 70 bags of books cleared, each weighing between 10 and 15 kg. This represents an estimated loss of at least 2,000 books, worth at least $100K SGD in total. Since the announcement of Yale-NUS College closure in 2021, administrative responsibilities for the Yale-NUS Library have gradually been transferred to NUS, culminating in a complete transfer by 2023. The decision to dispose of the books in question therefore falls under the purview of the NUS Library and Undergraduate Education departments.

While the NUS Provost of Undergraduate Education attempted to avert the shredding after the decision faced backlash, Asia Recycling Resources Pte Ltd states that NUS reached out too late to halt the shredding and that all the books from the 20 May incident were destroyed. The University Librarian of NUS has since released an apology promising that other batches of Yale-NUS Library books slated for shredding will be distributed in an on-campus giveaway, but her statement has not fully addressed the concerns of the community (students, alumni, staff, and members of the public).

This petition is addressed to NUS Leadership, and the petition's full text with citations and a timeline of events is available here.* Our priority is to prevent future instances of similar wastage. We, the undersigned, thus urge the NUS administration to provide clarification to the questions below.

1. What is the magnitude (number, financial value) of the books that were disposed of on 20 May?
2. What alternative methods of disposal were considered, and why were they rejected?
3. Who was consulted prior to the decision to dispose of the books, and how and at what stages were they consulted?
4. What standard operational procedures are currently in place to ensure the responsible handling and disposal of academic resources? 
5. What measures will be taken to review, revise, and strengthen existing procedures to prevent similar occurrences in the future? 

We express deep concern over the disposal of a significant number of academic materials that were in good condition. Their destruction 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.

 

 

Notably, the disposal of academic materials appears at odds with the commitments outlined in the NUS Sustainability Plan, including the vision of being a zero-waste campus that reduces its waste footprint before recycling. Importantly, there were multiple instances prior to the disposal at which the NUS Library could have facilitated the adoption of the books by students, alumni, faculty, or interested members of the public, even if they cannot be absorbed into the NUS library ecosystem.

This incident reflects a troubling pattern of opaque decision-making and lack of accountability within NUS. Student groups like “No More Top Down” have previously highlighted similar concerns in the 2020 merger of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the Faculty of Science to form the NUS College of Humanities and Sciences, and the 2021 announcement to merge Yale-NUS College and the NUS University Scholars Programme. Four years on, this incident is a stark reminder that unilateral decision-making persists despite NUS’ aspirations to be a “vital community” that “work[s] together”. What other decisions that affect our learning community are made without meaningful consultation of students, faculty and staff – the stakeholders who will be impacted by these decisions? We thus invite other students, faculty, staff, and members of the public to join us in speaking up against unilateral decision-making where we see it.

We, the undersigned, stress that we do not support the harassment of administrative staff and workers implicated in the attempted book shredding, such as the external waste management officers or NUS librarians who directly sent the books for disposal. We also thank staff such as the NUS Provost of Undergraduate Education and NUS’ University Librarian for responding promptly to student feedback. We do, however, request a further update on the situation by NUS staff and relevant decision-makers that respond to the above questions in full, as well as an open-door dialogue with representatives from the Yale-NUS Club.

We thank the various elements of the NUS community, past and present, who united swiftly to speak up against the dumping of these library books. We believe in our ability to truly be an institution “by the community, for the community”, and that this begins with accountability.

“SG Students Save Books”:
Concerned NUS & Yale-NUS students, 
alumni, staff, and members of the public

 

*Should you require a screen-reader accessible copy, do not hesitate to contact us at sg.students.save.books@gmail.com.

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