I have never had a problem with the concept of recycling books to
developing countries if they clearly find a use for them. Two of our
lecturers here at the University of Portsmouth have been shipping our
withdrawn stock to Africa at their own expense for some time. One
lecturer has been donating our books to a new university library in
Nigeria: I believe its stock is composed largely of our 'cast-offs', and
the availability of the books has even enabled certain courses to be
validated. The other lecturer is intending to set up a public library
in Cameroon, and takes anything, however old, on the basis that people
can choose what they want to read.
Sue Ashby
Deputy Technical Services Manager
University of Portsmouth Library
|