COLUMBIA (AP) – The director of the University of Missouri libraries is defending his decision to approve the destruction of almost 190,000 documents that were damaged by mold.

A university faculty committee says libraries director Jim Cogswell ignored a pledge to keep them informed about efforts to save about 629,000 books and documents that were damaged by mold at an off-campus location in 2013.

Cogswell says the 188,000 books, documents and journals destroyed starting in February were duplicates or documents that will be replaced with the help of a $400,000 grant.

The Columbia Daily Tribune reports a Faculty Council committee says it has lost trust in Cogswell because he was supposed to keep them updated on saving the materials.

Cogswell apologized for the lack of communication but says he acted correctly.