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What is happening to all of the Books? (Thursday, October 7, 2010)

When books are removed from the library there are strict guidelines that we must follow. All of the books are carefully removed from the library catalog. They are then offered to all of the other Tennessee Board of Regents libraries. The other libraries are given 30 days to respond to the offer. After 30 days any books not claimed are sent to shipping and receiving at the warehouse. Once sent to the warehouse the books are handled according to State regulations. (See Tennessee Board of regents, Policy 4:02:20:00 Subject: Disposal of Surplus Personal Property , http://www.tbr.state.tn.us/policies/default.aspx?id=1140)

The relevant parts of the regulations are as follows:

2 General Rules

1. (a) Surplus personal property is either usable property, which shall be transferred or sold, or unusable property, which may be destroyed, as hereinafter provided:

1. (1) Surplus personal property which is perishable food may be destroyed without delay or notification.

2. (2) Surplus mattresses may be destroyed or may be otherwise disposed of only upon compliance with T.C.A. 12-2-403.

3. (3) Surplus personal property which is determined to be not usable by the institution and of little or no salvage or other economic value may be destroyed by an appropriate method.

4. (4) The institution shall follow the procedures described in Section 3(c) of this policy, prior to disposal of all other surplus personal property.

2. (b) Surplus personal property in which the Federal Government or other entity has a legal interest should be transferred to such entity when no longer needed.

3. (c) It is unlawful for any state official or employee, including System employees, to purchase from the state except by bid at public auction any surplus property during the tenure of his office or employment, or for six (6) months thereafter. A purchaser who violates this provision is guilty of a misdemeanor under T.C.A. 12-2-412.

4. (d) For all sales to individuals except at public auctions including internet auction, the transferring institution conducting the sale shall obtain from the purchaser a signed disclaimer certifying the purchaser is not a state or System employee and that the purchaser is not buying the property for or on behalf of any state or System employee.

5. (e) All employees of the Tennessee Board of Regents System and their immediate families, shall be ineligible to bid for or purchase surplus personal property except by bid at public auction.

6. (f) Possession of surplus personal property sold to the general public under any method prescribed under Section 3(c) of this policy shall not pass until payment is made by cash, or if payment is made by cashiers check or certified check, possession shall not pass until the check is honored by the drawee bank.

3 General Disposal Procedures

3 (c) No article of personal property may be disposed of as surplus except by one of the following methods: (1) Trade-in, when such is permitted due to the nature of the property or equipment and subject to the provisions of T.C.A. 12-2-403 and the rules of this policy;

i. Transfer to other institutions within the Tennessee Board of Regents system;

ii. Transfer to other state agencies;

iii. Sale to eligible political subdivisions of the state and other governmental entities;

iv. Public auction, publicly advertised and held;

v. Sale under sealed bids, publicly advertised, opened and recorded;

vi. Negotiated contract for sale, at arms length; but only in those instances in which the availability of the property is recurring or repetitive in character, such as marketable waste products;

vii. Disposition through the Department of General Services as provided in the Department Rules and Regulations.

viii. Donations to a public school or public school system.

ix. Sale by Internet auction.