Guidelines and Procedures for Weeding Collection

Collection is divided into manageable sections that take into account both size and reasonable points of division. We will begin with H and move through the H’s. We then should probably move to D and G.

First segment plan: Nancy will begin with the BF’s; others will follow.

We recognize this is a multiple year project and our goal is to make steady progress over the next three to five years.

A librarian takes a section and reviews it and selects those materials which in some combination of characteristics are candidates for withdrawal. His or her role is to be aggressive in selecting items for withdrawal. The purpose is to bring to the attention of others potential candidates for removal.

Criteria for selection for removal

These are to be used in combination and no one characteristic has complete dominance over the others.

  • (1) Volume has not circulated in past ten years.
  • (2) Volume is in poor physical condition (Answer question should it be rebound or replaced?).
  • (3) We have newer edition(s).
  • (4) Appears to be out of date.
  • (5) Collection seems to have a number of more recent books on the same subject.
  • (6) Author is not recognized as a “major star” in the field.
  • (7) Not relevant to the curriculum, not likely to be used for course research.

Volumes pulled from the shelves are moved to ESR/Bethany carrel area for second librarian and faculty review.

After the first librarian has pulled items, a second librarian will review the decisions and when clear in her or his mind will return material to stacks that it is believed should not be withdrawn. The second librarian may consult with the first librarian in selected cases.

Inform faculty before the volumes go into the carrel that this project is underway. Send memo to all faculty in department.
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Inform faculty when volumes go into the carrel and give them a month to review. Reminder at start of last week.

Withdrawn volumes are marked and Cataloging is notified. Volumes not to be withdrawn are returned to stacks.

Cataloging, as time permits, pulls volumes and deletes record and withdrawals books.
Collection Review work slip
Faculty:

Below the wavy line are the reason(s) the book was pulled from the shelves by librarians for your consideration. We ask you to answer the following:
Is the content out of date?____________________________

___________________________________________________
Is the author a “star” in the field and therefore we should keep? _____________________________________________

___________________________________________________
Is this a title you would expect students and faculty to use in the next ten years? _______________________________

___________________________________________________
Is there another reason why we should keep the title? ___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

Don’t withdraw: ____ Faculty member’s initials

Withdraw: ____ 1st Librarian’s initials

____ 2nd Librarian’s initials

___ Faculty member’s initials

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Librarian’s reason(s) for consideration:

____ It has not circulated.

____ Poor physical condition.

____ We have multicopies that are not needed.

____ We have newer editions of the same work.

____ Appears to be out of date

____ Collection has sufficient newer material

____ Author not a “star” in field

____ Not relevant to curriculum; unlikely to be used.

Date to holding shelves: ___________

Expiration date for faculty review: ________

To be repaired: ________________

To be replaced: ___________________