BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Dozens of books were recently found in a dumpster outside a Brevard County library, and now some residents are asking why they were thrown away.

On the outside, it’s a typical public recycling dumpster often placed for use in the Eau Gallie L​ibrary parking lot. Inside you’d expect to find the usual paper, boxes, magazines and other recyclables.

But a closer look reveals among those items are dozens of books.

“It’s kind of wasteful,” said Norman Caddelle, who along with his wife Pat were taking a walk on the pier when Spectrum News showed them the cache of books.

Pat looked in one of them and noticed the stamp inside said "Eau Gallie Public Library" and "Property Brevard County Library System." Norman said he and his wife are avid readers and are confused why the books would be put in a dumpster instead of being given away.

“I don’t understand that," he said. "I mean, as long as they are readable and somebody can enjoy them, keep passing them down until they are all ragged and throw them away."

Spectrum News reached out to county officials who said libraries have finite space and when items are dated and/or no longer in demand, their trained librarians evaluate them.

They said things like a book’s condition and the last time it was circulated are taken into consideration — and usually ones that haven’t been checked out in the last three to five years are taken off the shelves.

Officials said librarians also look to see if additional copies of books are on the shelves or are at other libraries — and when books are chosen for removal, most of them are given to a library friends group for resale. Funds raised by any sale are usually returned to the library to support events like summer reading programs.

In the past, officials said the library has also donated books to nonprofits, but items in bad shape are discarded for recycling.

Norman said he sees no reason to discard the books in the dumpster because they looked to be in good shape.

“Not for me, but apparently someone had a reason,” he said

Spectrum News was also told that when the library friends group finds donated books in poor condition — ones that are stained, falling apart and/or moldy — that they are put in the dumpster.

For comparison, officials with the Orange County Library System said they donate retired books to their bookstore to be sold, with the proceeds going to those in need.