New College fires librarian over book disposals

New College has fired its dean of libraries, saying she was responsible for the improper disposal of thousands of books and ignored the advice of a New College attorney.

The school put Shannon Hausinger on administrative leave Aug. 16 following public outrage when images of about 13,000 books seen in or near a dumpster circulated on social media. The university said she did not follow proper procedures and did not keep a list of the books disposed of.

Hausinger, who has a master’s degree in library and information science and a doctorate in ethical leadership and education, has worked in libraries since the mid-1990s and joined New College in February. She hired a law firm in a failed effort to get her job back.

Not all the books found in or near the dumpster last month were from the library. Some were from the school’s Gender and Diversity Center, which was being repurposed. On social media, college trustee Chris Rufo and spokespeople for the governor’s office cheered the disposal of gender-related books.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/education/2024/09/06/new-college-fires-librarian-over-book-disposals/