The Harvard Police are dismantling an extensive undercover surveillance operation in Widener and Pusey Libraries that several police and library officials say was characterized by expensive blunders.

The operation, designed to apprehend a person destroying books in the stacks, included television cameras hidden in hollowed-out books as well as a 24-hour undercover detail of five police officers.

Harvard police officials were scheduled to disconnect the closed-circuit television network by early this week, and the undercover detail was canceled during the summer of 1990, according to Sgt. Lawrence J. Fennelly.

The move marks the end of one stage of a major investigation conducted to find the "slasher" who cut out the pages of hundreds of books--valued at over $200,000--in Widener and Pusey Libraries in recent years.

Despite the exhaustive effort--officials estimate that it cost more than $50,000--the police still have no suspect in the bizarre case.

Several police officers and library employees familiar with the investigation say it was unsuccessful because the operation was too conspicuous and possible suspects knew about the undercover detail and hidden cameras.

Harvard Police Chief Paul E. Johnson denied that the investigation was botched and declined to comment further on the ongoing case.

"The investigation was handled properly and nostone was left unturned," Johnson said. "I neverheard any complaints about the operation."

Fennelly, who heads the crime prevention unit,said the cameras are being disconnected now basedon "new information" in the case. No slashed bookshave been found during the past year, he said.

Fennelly refused to disclose the final cost ofthe surveillance operation. But other policeofficials and security equipment experts estimatedthat the camera equipment and overtime pay for the24-hour detail totaled at least $50,000.

Larsen Librarian of Harvard College Richard DeGennaro said the investigation was funded by theFaculty of Arts and Sciences, Widener Library, thegeneral counsel's office and the policedepartment.

De Gennaro said the amount of money spent wassmall "compared to the problem we're dealingwith."

"No money was wasted," he added.

Conspicuous Officers

Although library and police officialsinterviewed last week did not question the extentof the operation, many of them criticized themanner in which the investigation was conducted.

According to these officials, many libraryemployees and even some students knew about thesupposedly covert operation.