MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – All the books from UW-Green Bay’s Manitowoc library appear to have a new home and it’s a much different outcome from the books at the school’s Marinette library, which ended up in dumpsters for recycling.
UW-Green Bay has been trying to get rid of these books after ending in-person library services at the two campuses at the end of 2023 due to budget problems.
After a six-day auction, about 13,000 books from the Manitowoc campus library have been sold for $680.
It means the books won’t be going to ESTHER, an interfaith social-justice group in Neenah that donates books to prisons. The group told FOX 11 last month it had an agreement in place with the school to take any unsold books to donate to state prisons.
“I knew we would not be able to handle 13,000 books, so I had a little relief that it didn’t work out, but on the other hand, I’m not at all confident that those books will end up in any place where they will be available to readers,” said Fran Nelson, a member of ESTHER.
UW-Green Bay declined an interview request for this story.
In a email to ESTHER, UW-Green Bay Vice Chancellor Christopher Paquet explained the Wisconsin Department of Administration did not agree the deal met the requirements outlined in the State Procurement Manual for getting rid of taxpayer-funded state property. Paquet also says the DOA required the school to post the materials and engage in a competitive process.
The state manual UW-Green Bay says it was obligated to follow when disposing of the library books at its Marinette campus.
A DOA spokesperson confirmed to FOX 11 it told the school to follow specific parameters and any donation would have required a competitive public notice process.
“I understand the process, but I don’t think books belong in that process,” said Nelson. “That buyer is confidential, and the state has no control over what they do with them because they’re purchased. Now, with another owner and the state doesn’t follow that or ask for justification that it went to an audience of readers like they did for us.”
That means the books could still be recycled, like the thousands of books from UW-Green Bay’s Marinette campus. Before that, the books were never part of an auction- only attempts to be sold for $1 a piece during a one-day in-person sale.
The school has said before any books were sold, books were first identified to transfer to the campus in Green Bay. Then, it offered books to other UW System libraries and the local public library.
It turns out even if ESTHER received Manitowoc’s books, the group might not have been able to donate them to state prisons. The Department of Corrections tells FOX 11 it “can only accept new book donations for the persons in its care.” It says “used books require a labor-intensive screening process to search for tampering, drugs and other contraband.”
Nelson told us ESTHER was under the impression used books could still be donated to prison libraries, but the Department of Corrections tells FOX 11 books need to be new in most cases.
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