Weeding Library Collections: A Selected Annotated Bibliography for Library Collection Evaluation

ALA Library Fact Sheet 15

"Next to emptying the outdoor bookdrop on cold and snowy days, weeding is the most undesirable job in the library. It is also one of the most important. Collections that go unweeded tend to be cluttered, unattractive, and unreliable informational resources."

-- Will Manley, "The Manley Arts," Booklist, March 1, 1996, p. 1108.

There are two aspects to weeding. The first is the writing of a collection development or selection policy that is appropriate for your community; this will serve as a guideline as you make decisions about your collection. The second is applying that policy as you make decisions about the materials in your collection. This fact sheet offers a selection of resources for collection development and evaluation, many applicable to all types of libraries and others for specific types of libraries.

Collection Development

Baltimore County Public Schools.
Selection Criteria for School Library Media Center Collections.
http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/admin/selection.html

Reviews the selection criteria for library media materials, steps for implementing the policy once established, lists review and selection tools, along with special factors to consider when selecting (or deselecting) various media. There is also a guide to conducting an assessment and inventory project.

Bishop, Kay. The Collection Program in Schools: Concepts, Practices, and Information Sources. 4th ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2007.

As stated by the publisher: This 4th edition of a best-selling development resource provides an updated overview of processes and procedures associated with developing, maintaining, and evaluating a collection at the building level. It offers principles, techniques, and common practices of collection development and management while weaving in new considerations. New topics include licensing online resources such as subscription databases, creating a collection development policy that meets curriculum standards, circulating and promoting the collection, using online selection and evaluation tools, providing remote access to school library collections, using virtual libraries to increase the collection, and writing policy and procedures manuals. This new edition provides an updated overview of the processes and procedures associated with developing, maintaining, and evaluating a collection at the building level. New topics include licensing online resources such as subscription databases, creating a collection development policy that meets curriculum standards, circulating and promoting the collection, using online selection and evaluation tools, providing remote access to school library collections, using virtual libraries to increase the collection, and writing policy and procedures manuals.

Collection Development page from AASL Essential Links: Resources for School Library Media Program Development.

An annotated bibliography of resources for collection development for all levels of school libraries, compiled by ALA's American Association of School Librarians (AASL, a division of ALA).

Evans, G. Edward, and Margaret Zarnosky Saponaro. Developing Library and Information Center Collections. 5th ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 2005.

As stated by the publisher: This latest edition continues to cover all phases of collection development--from needs assessment, policies, and the selection process (theory and practice), to publishers, serials, protection, legal issues, censorship, and intellectual freedom. Each chapter has been extensively revised to reflect changing practices, policies, and technologies. To this end, some chapters--electronic materials, government information, audiovisual materials, and resource sharing--have been almost completely rewritten. In addition, electronic serials, introduced in the 4th edition, has been combined with its print counterpart in a single chapter. New to this edition is a CD containing supplementary material; a companion Web site () will also be maintained to ensure URLs referenced throughout the text are kept up to date. As the authors put it in their introductory chapter, "whatever environment one works in, collection development is an exciting challenge that requires lifelong learning." Students and practitioners alike will benefit greatly from this state-of-the-art text.

Georgia Public Library Service. Collection Development.
http://www.georgialibraries.org/lib/collection.html

Each public library system in Georgia seeks to provide a collection of materials, in a variety of formats, which reflect the diversity of the population served, and of American society. In the collection, as many points of view are included as possible. It is important that each library system drafts, and has approved, a written collection development policy. The Georgia Public Library Service provides guideline documents and bibliographies to assist Georgia public libraries in completing this task. Includes resources, with guidelines and bibliographies, on collection standards, policy development, core collections, opening day collections, as well as weeding.

Italiano, Julie. Library Collection Management 101. InfoPeople Workshop: March-June 2006.

This online archive of a past Infopeople Workshop retains Word and PDF versions of the workshop's many materials and handouts, including a webliography, core collection development selection resources, a collection development plan, de-selection guidelines, weeding guidelines, a patron request for reconsideration of library material form and a suggestion for purchase form, as well as Italiano's PowerPoint presentation and a budget example Excel spreadsheet. Original Infopeople Workshop Description: This all-day workshop will cover the basics of collection management through individual and group exercises, activities, and detailed handouts. This course is designed to help participants become comfortable with developing and defending a library collection of any size. The class will explore ways to respond to changing technology to meet the needs of customers. Participants will also hear about future trends in library selection, including floating collections and shared resources.

Johnson, Peggy. Fundamentals of Collection Development & Management. 2nd ed. Chicago: American Library Association, 2008.

As stated at the ALA Online Store: In this fully updated revision, expert instructor and librarian Peggy Johnson addresses the art in controlling and updating your library's collection. Each chapter offers complete coverage of one aspect of collection development, including suggestions for further reading and a narrative case study exploring the issue. Johnson also integrates electronic resources throughout the book, covering the following topics: Organization and Staffing; Policymaking and Budgeting; and Purchasing and Weeding. Johnson offers a comprehensive tour of this essential discipline and situates the fundamental ideas of collection development and management in historical and theoretical perspective, bringing this modern classic fully up to date. WEB EXTRA: The book's forms and other sample materials are freely available for downloading from the ALA web site.

Public Education Network and American Association of School Librarians; edited by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock. The Information-Powered School. Chicago: American Library Association, 2001.

Outlines a specific plan for school library media specialists and teachers to share the responsibilities of planning, teaching, and assessing student learning and offering a truly coherent curriculum. Chapter 5 ("Collection Mapping: One Step in the Collection Development Process") and chapter 6 ("Curriculum Mapping") focus on collection development needs.

Workbook for Selection Policy Writing from ALA's Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF).

Although the intent of this document is to provide a foundation for a school library media center to prepare for and respond to intellectual freedom challenges, the content is a basic guide to why a selection policy is important, how to draft a policy, tools for building a collection, and procedures for responding to a challenge.

COLLECTION EVALUATION

Banks, Julie. "Weeding Book Collections in the Age of the Internet." Collection Building. 21, no. 3 (2002): 113-119

As stated in the article's abstract: The weeding project at Southeast Missouri State University presented an opportunity to identify different variables, i.e. shelf level, book jackets, added entries, and untraced series, that impacted a book's circulation behavior and to consider the relationship between circulation and the Internet/online database activity. Using the political science collection, the investigator found that shelf level has the strongest impact on circulation among the variables studied, but the Internet and electronic reference databases have an even greater influence on circulation. Surprisingly, one of the conclusions was that 61 percent of the political science collection either circulated only once or never circulated. It is argued that because of the pressures the Internet and electronic reference databases are placing on book collections and their use it is more important than ever to identify new collection development strategies to pinpoint which titles will be used.

Baumbach, Donna J. and Linda L. Miller. Less Is More: A Practical Guide to Weeding School Library Collections. Chicago: American Library Association, 2006.

As stated at the ALA Online Store: By the creators of the "SUNLINK Weed of the Month" web site (described below), this user-friendly guide explains the ins and outs, including why weeding is such an important task; outlines the steps to get started; breaks weeding criteria down by over 70 topics and Dewey Numbers with retention criteria and examples of titles to weed; clarifies how to use automation tools in weeding; outlines considerations when upgrading collections; and has recommended disposal options.

Davis, Vivian R. "Weeding the Library Media Center Collection." School Library Media Activities Monthly. 17, no. 7 (2001): 26-28.

While weeding may be an important library activity, its time consuming nature may keep it from happening. This lesson-plan teaches students to evaluate the books critically in order to assist in the process.

Dickinson, Gail. "Crying Over Spilled Milk (PDF)." Library Media Connection. 23, no. 7 (2005): 24-26.

A practical overview of the weeding process, with a no-nonsense approach to the emotional issues that can be involved. Specifically written for school library media specialists.

Dilevko, Juris and Lisa Gottlieb. "Weed to Achieve: A Fundamental Part of the Public Library Mission? (PDF)" Library Collections, Acquisitions, & Technical Services. 27, no. 1 (2003): 73-96.

Based on responses to a survey, the authors review weeding practices. The common criteria for weeding are circulation, physical condition, and accuracy of information.

Doll, Carol Ann, and Pamela Petrick Barron. Managing and Analyzing Your Collection: A Practical Guide for Small Libraries and School Media Centers. Chicago: American Library Association, 2002.

As stated at the ALA Online Store: Measure twice, cut once. . . . If you can follow a cookbook, you can use these simple "recipes"—calculations, formulas, and measurements—to come up with statistics for analysis and management of your collection. Using measures of timeliness, relevancy, use percentages, user profiles, and comparisons, you can determine in quantitative ways the quality of your library's collection. From there, you can communicate its value to your customers and that's the name of the game! By gathering concrete statistical evidence, you will be in a position to weed appropriately and make decisions about future market-targeted acquisitions. An added bonus is that you can create a research-based profile of your total library—its collection and users—that you can present to budget-makers and potential funders. These time-tested, step-by-step directions show even the most math-phobic how to: gather and analyze data produced by automated systems; conduct a random sampling using one of three easy-to-execute methods; evaluate all types of information formats including books, videos, periodicals, and CD-ROMs; provide hard evidence to decision makers; improve collections with smart weeding to make way for new acquisitions; and estimate the cost of updating your collection. This easy-to-understand system is perfect for busy librarians and managers who want to systematize the management of their collections. Take advantage of the insights of this expert author team and their unique and practical collection analysis methods!

Doyle, Tony. "Selection versus Censorship in Libraries." Collection Management. 27, no. 1 (2002): 15-25

As stated in the article abstract: "The terrorist attacks of September 11 pose a potential threat to intellectual freedom inside and outside of libraries, particularly regarding information deemed to be useful to terrorists. After a brief look at this threat I proceed to discuss the liberal position on intellectual freedom in the light of Lester Asheim's distinction between censorship and selection. I then entertain a criticism of the liberal/Asheim position. The criticism suggests that the liberal position requires at least some public and academic libraries to carry potentially dangerous materials like bombmaking manuals. I defend the liberal position against this objection, concluding that such materials do have a place in some libraries, terrorist threats notwithstanding."

Farber, Evan. “Weeding the Collection—Painful But Necessary.” Library Issues: Briefings for Faculty and Administrators. 19, no. 2 (1998): 1-3.

Written for administrators, this article reviews the reasons why weeding is necessary, but also acknowledges the pressures that may be working against it. Also discusses remote storage as an alternative.

Intner, Sheila S. "Dollars and Sense: Censorship Versus Selection, One More Time." Technicalities. 24, no. 3 (2004): 1
---------- "Dollars and Sense: Implications for Teaching Collection Development." Technicalities. 23, no. 6 (2003): 1

Columns inspired by the author's experience teaching collection development, with reflections on the nature of selection and issues of electronic collection development.

Lambert, Dennis K., et al. Guide to Review of Library Collections: Preservation, Storage, and Withdrawal. 2nd ed. (Collection Management and Development Guides, No. 12) Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press; published in cooperation with the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services, 2002.

As stated by the publisher: The Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS), a division of the American Library Association, offers a host of well-integrated and forward-looking services to help you find your way through these changes. It is a leader in the development of principles, standards, and best practices for creating, collecting, organizing, delivering, and preserving information resources in all forms. It offers educational, research, and professional service opportunities. And it is committed to quality information, universal access, collaboration, and lifelong learning.

Larson, Jeanette. CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries, Revised and Updated. Austin, TX: Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 2008. [Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/]

As stated in the introduction: For more than 30 years, The CREW Method has provided guidance to librarians and staff in small and medium sized public libraries about how to cull outdated and no longer useful materials from their collections. Since its inception in 1976, The CREW Method has become the benchmark tool for weeding library collections. It has been more than a decade since the first revised edition brought technology and online catalogs into the process. This new edition, called CREW: A Weeding Manual for Modern Libraries, builds on the work of Joseph P. Segal and Belinda Boon. Although much of the basic information remains the same, the impact of changes in technology and its effect on library collections has been taken into consideration. The CREW guidelines by Dewey Class have been expanded even further and updated to reflect current practices. New sections have been added that explain in more detail the MUSTIE factors and types of disposal. The bibliography has been updated to include current editions of standard works, contemporary selections, and expanded online resources.

Slote, Stanley J. Weeding Library Collections: Library Weeding Methods. 4th ed. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited, 1997.

As stated by the publisher: Slote shows you how to identify the core collections versus the weedable items. After reviewing current weeding practices and standards, he discusses a variety of traditional and computer-assisted methods for weeding.

SUNLINK Weed of the Month
http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/weed

The SUNLINK Weed of the Month program is an effort to help provide Florida's K-12 School Library Media specialists with guidelines and suggestions for weeding their collections "a little at a time" as well as for adding quality materials. Funded by the Florida Department of Education, SUNLINK is Florida's K-12 public school union catalog, a shared database of materials in Florida K-12 library media centers. This is light-hearted, but sound.

Weeding in Libraries: A Partial Index to What's Out There. Prepared by the staff of the Havana Public Library District, Havana, IL.
http://www.havana.lib.il.us/library/weeding.html

Links to online resources, ranging from state library sites to library school syllabi to resources developed by the Library of Congress.

Wilson, A. Paula. "Weeding the E-Book Collection (PDF)." Public Libraries. 43, no. 3 (May/June 2004): 158-159.

Tips and pointers for managing the e-books collection, with some discussion of the differences and similarities with more traditional formats.

Wynkoop, Asa. "Discarding Useless Material." Wisconsin Library Bulletin. 7, no. 1 (1911): 53.

This citation is here to demonstrate that weeding is not a new issue in libraries... and to demonstrate the finding that one of the chief benefits of weeding is increased usage of the collection.