New College of Florida's library dean, Shannon Hausinger, was fired after an internal investigation revealed she disposed of thousands of books without following protocol.
Hausinger reportedly discarded the books, citing mold and water damage, but failed to consult with college officials or provide documentation as required, according to WFLA News.
In an Aug. 30 letter, school officials deemed her actions a "profound and unacceptable error in judgment," leading to her termination for misconduct. The disposal sparked backlash after photos of discarded books from the college's library and now-defunct Gender and Diversity Center in dumpsters surfaced online, prompting controversy about the process.
However, Hausinger's attorney argued that she was responsible only for the library's collection and not for books from the Gender and Diversity Center, and therefore should not be held accountable for tracking those materials, the Tampa Bay Times reported.
This marks a shift from the college's earlier stance, as President Richard Corcoran had previously claimed the books selected for disposal were "thoroughly evaluated" by the library staff.
In a letter to the school community, Corcoran had also attributed book dump to damage caused by a leaky roof. He noted that $300,000 had been allocated to purchase new books, eBooks, journal databases, and multimedia materials for the library.
"Unfortunately, much of the coverage has been sensationalized, catering to the narratives of our critics," he wrote. "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."
Spokesperson Nathan March had also said that the discarded books were not connected to those removed from the Gender and Diversity Center, which are not part of the library's collection. He added that those books were ultimately claimed and donated.
The ACLU of Florida condemned the book disposal as a "brazen act of censorship" and demanded answers from the administration.
"The fact that these books - sources of wisdom, diverse perspectives, and the narratives of marginalized communities - were discarded in the dead of night, without transparency, and without giving students the opportunity to preserve them, should outrage every Floridian and every American who values democracy and free thought," said Bacardi Jackson, executive director of the ACLU of Florida.
