Harvard University Surplus Center in
West New Boston (MA)

There appears to be a serious lack of transparency, accountability, and consistent policy enforcement. One of the biggest concerns involves a volunteer named Amy, who is not staff but seemed to exercise unusual influence over management decisions. In my experience, she was rude, dismissive, and hostile. She frequently stayed in and out of the surplus manager’s office acting as though she were in charge, while also gossiping about others. I also witnessed what appeared to be double standards in how rules were applied. On Mondays, the space is supposedly reserved for Harvard-affiliated individuals, not professional booksellers. However, I repeatedly observed one individual using scanning apps to identify profitable books and textbooks for resale while being given special treatment by management. Unlike everyone else, he was allegedly allowed to enter without visibly wearing a name tag or ID and without signing in, while others — including Harvard affiliates — were strictly required to follow those rules. This same individual directed hateful and insulting speech toward me, which I found deeply upsetting and traumatic. Despite the seriousness of the incident, management did not create an incident report or address the issue in a timely or transparent manner. Even more concerning, when I attempted to discuss the matter with management, Amy interrupted and discouraged both the manager and me from continuing the conversation. I was also told by management that this reseller makes donations from book sales, yet when I respectfully asked for clarification regarding these donations and how they are handled, no clear answers were provided. Meanwhile, it appeared that books were being selectively held aside for this individual, and others were only allowed access to books he considered unprofitable for resale. The overall environment felt exclusionary, hostile, and unfair. Policies seemed to be enforced selectively depending on the person involved, which raises serious concerns about oversight and fairness. I hope the university or appropriate administration investigates these practices and improves transparency and accountability going forward.

Corruption and Favoritism Have Taken Over — Harvard Surplus Center Is Not What It Used to Be I’m writing this out of real disappointment and frustration. The Harvard Surplus Center used to be a great community resource — open, fair, and full of interesting finds. But ever since the new manager took over around the COVID period, everything has gone downhill. What’s happening there now is nothing short of corruption and favoritism. Regular visitors often walk in and find nothing but junk, while the manager’s friends and so-called “volunteers” seem to have early or private access to all the good items — electronics, furniture, books, you name it. These same people are then reselling everything online and making money off what’s supposed to be Harvard’s surplus property. It’s an open secret at this point. The manager clearly abuses his position and discretionary power, creating a system where only his inner circle benefits. It’s completely unfair, unethical, and a disgrace to the idea of a public surplus program. The whole place feels rigged — if you’re not one of “them,” you’ll leave empty-handed every time. What’s worse is that these so-called volunteers aren’t helping out for the right reasons. They’re there for personal gain — free parking, early access, and a steady stream of valuable items to flip for cash. Harvard is basically enabling this behavior, whether intentionally or through sheer neglect. It’s really sad to see such a respected institution turn a blind eye to something so blatantly wrong. The Surplus Center desperately needs oversight and accountability — because right now, it’s operating like a private business for a few insiders, not a fair, community-based program.

I found a lightly used mattress for my apartment! And a couple boxes of expired annies mac and cheese! One of them still tasted pretty good. The folks there are so helpful and kind