(8 Sep 2026) Academic libraries are no strangers to large-scale deselection exercises. Driven by space constraints, evolving curricula, and the shift towards digital resources, the question is no longer whether to withdraw print materials, but what comes next. In the past year, SMU Libraries explored a different answer: instead of recycling withdrawn books, could we reimagine their next chapter, and rehome them to create meaningful impact for the community?
Books on trolleys – Grab one before it’s gone
SMU community browsing withdrawn books at the GrabBook event.
Our initial priority was to identify ways to provide value directly to the SMU community. To this end, SMU Libraries organised a GrabBook event held in February 2026 at both the Li Ka Shing Library and Kwa Geok Choo Law Library. This book giveaway event offered SMU faculty, staff, and students the opportunity to browse and bring home withdrawn books free of charge, alongside books previously donated by faculty — approximately 1,700 books in total.
The event created discovery moments, with participants walking away with titles that held personal or professional relevance to them. The GrabBook event demonstrated that even when withdrawn, library collections can continue to spark curiosity and serve the community they were always meant to support.
Books in transit – Meeting real needs in Cambodia
This initiative began at ELLSSA 2025, where a chance interaction sparked a practical and impactful idea. The author connected with Mr Nhep Raty, a librarian from the ARDB (Agriculture and Rural Development Bank) Library in Cambodia. As a newly established library, the ARDB Library faced a familiar challenge of having to build a meaningful collection with limited financial resources.
At around the same time, SMU Libraries had completed a major deselection exercise and was actively seeking rehoming options for the books. This convergence of need and surplus presented a clear and timely opportunity.
Following mutual agreement, both parties worked collaboratively to address key operational considerations, including title selection, logistics and shipping, funding for the shipment, as well as governance and documentation. Beyond achieving a successful transaction, the initiative reflects a core principle of librarianship: not only to do the right things, but to do them right with care, accountability, and purpose.
Preparation work spanned several months, culminating in the successful delivery of the shipment to Cambodia, where around 2,800 volumes were integrated into ARDB Library’s collection. In addition to the withdrawn titles, we donated 4 newly acquired titles authored by SMU leaders and faculty members, further enriching the library’s resources with publications from the SMU community.
Reflecting on the impact of this collaboration, Nhep Raty shared: “As a newly established library, we deeply appreciate this collaboration with SMU Libraries. This initiative has strengthened our collection and demonstrates that the value of books extends beyond physical collections, continuing to create opportunities for learning and knowledge-sharing where they are needed most.”
ARDB Library and a Facebook post which featured a donated book from SMU Libraries
What followed was both affirming and unexpected. Titles that may have been considered low-value or outdated in Singapore found renewed relevance in a different context. Some were even featured on ARDB Library’s social media, highlighting their significance to local users.
This moment served as a powerful reminder that the value of library collections is not fixed, but highly contextual, shaped by the needs, constraints, and aspirations of the communities they serve.
Books in cartons – Crossing the road to Singapore’s book haven
Withdrawn books beginning their next chapter as they are collected for delivery to Book Point.
A short walk across the road from SMU is the Bras Basah Complex, a four-storey building fondly known as Singapore’s “Book City”. The building used to have many bookstores and eclectic boutique shops, but over the years, many have moved out or closed. One of the remaining bookstores is Book Point, a well-established second-hand bookstore selling pre-owned books on various topics, including fiction and academic titles. SMU Libraries approached Book Point to check whether there was interest in receiving books across various academic disciplines, and subsequently arranged for approximately 3,000 withdrawn books to find a second life there.
Rather than treating the end of a book’s library journey as its final chapter, this initiative reimagined withdrawal as a handover, one that extends access to knowledge beyond the campus and into the broader reading public. Book Point facilitated the collection and transportation of the books directly from the library, making the process seamless and operationally efficient. For readers who may not have otherwise encountered these titles, a withdrawn academic book can be a resource for independent learners, a reference for students, or simply a meaningful read. This initiative reminds us that the conclusion of a book’s time on our shelves marks not the end of its usefulness, but the beginning of a new chapter elsewhere.
Why this matters for Libraries and Universities
All the above book rehoming initiatives reflect SMU Libraries’ dedication to responsible stewardship and community engagement, ensuring that books continue to enrich lives long after they leave the campus shelves. Collectively, they offer several reflections for libraries:
- Reframing Withdrawal as Redistribution – Withdrawn materials need not be viewed as waste. With the right partnerships, they can be repositioned as valuable resources for capacity building in other institutions and communities.
- Advancing Sustainability Goals – Rehoming aligns with broader sustainability efforts by reducing waste, extending the lifespan of materials, and supporting a more circular use of resources.
- Strengthening Regional Collaboration – Libraries can play a meaningful role in regional knowledge-sharing ecosystems, particularly in supporting newer or resource-constrained institutions.
- Leveraging Partnerships Creatively – Leveraging partnerships creatively means moving beyond transactional procurement to cultivate deeper, more strategic relationships. Vendor engagements can be extended into opportunities for sponsorship, shared initiatives, and broader ecosystem support, enabling libraries to amplify impact, unlock additional resources, and contribute more meaningfully to the wider knowledge community.
From the perspective of an educational institution, this initiative demonstrates how library practices can extend institutional values beyond the campus and into the wider learning ecosystem. These initiatives directly advance the SMU’s strategic aspiration of “Shaping Impact, Transforming Lives” by extending the reach of our knowledge resources within and beyond campus, enabling access for underserved communities, and translating library stewardship into meaningful regional and societal impact.
This article is contributed by:
Heng Kai Leong
Yeo Eng Ling Lynn
SMU Libraries, Singapore
With inputs from:
Nhep Raty
ARDB Library, Cambodia
