Funny, I saw this myself years ago with a med school library, where the problem was more severe and with like every paper resource they had.
But it was interesting problem. Unlike normal libraries, they are so digital they run into a new problem: they have such little need for any books, they might as well throw all of them away. The medical education industry is so much more onboard with digital publishing and references because hospitals and schools pay top dollar, and often doctors will need research materials super fast when things are serious and they need to perform analysis quick. Digital publishing is not even a question of if, it is a long past when.
So long story aside, they had to be really secretive throwing away books. Someone once discovered these old, useless (no other schools want them, thus) in the garbage. Some alumni or concerned students found them, causing outrage.
Solution, this whole library spent years without an avenue for destruction of the books, because old grads and others would not tolerate the idea. How could we not need the books? Year later, dozens of racks exist with books and magazines not only never checked out, but not even touched for decades collecting significant dust.
Lots of people treat libraries like holy places they supposedly value and the books are the holy artifacts. But these people are trying to overrule those who actually use these places. No one's life is made any better by their interference, but they get to be seen "standing up for the books."
(If I were to take the analogy further, it's like the people who only attend church on Easter and Christmas telling the weekly church-goers how to run the church.)
Go ahead and take the analogy further still. It's like people who only attend church on Easter and Christmas actively preventing other people from attending church on Sundays. Even the largest libraries have a limited amount of shelf space. If we can't get rid of some of the books that are using that space, we can't add new, appealing, useful books for the people who want to read them.
Why throw them away and not offer them for takeaway for free or a nominal fee of 1$ each?
Edit: For clarification: I know a lot of books still won't find anybody wanting them. But I say it's justified to throw them away after a period of time.
But it was interesting problem. Unlike normal libraries, they are so digital they run into a new problem: they have such little need for any books, they might as well throw all of them away. The medical education industry is so much more onboard with digital publishing and references because hospitals and schools pay top dollar, and often doctors will need research materials super fast when things are serious and they need to perform analysis quick. Digital publishing is not even a question of if, it is a long past when.
So long story aside, they had to be really secretive throwing away books. Someone once discovered these old, useless (no other schools want them, thus) in the garbage. Some alumni or concerned students found them, causing outrage.
Solution, this whole library spent years without an avenue for destruction of the books, because old grads and others would not tolerate the idea. How could we not need the books? Year later, dozens of racks exist with books and magazines not only never checked out, but not even touched for decades collecting significant dust.