Weeding:

Why is it so difficult and what can we do about it?

1. Increase library appeal 2. Save patrons’ and staffs’ time

4. Encourage browsing 5. Eliminate items no longer of interest to patrons 6. Save space

7. Increase use of other materials 8. Reduce duplicate copies 9. Eliminate items no longer fitting library’s mission10. Save time inventorying

3. Protect readers from inaccurate information

10 Reasons to Weed

Rule of Thumb:

3%(required for NE public library accreditation)

Source: 2009 NE Public library statistics

Average % Weeded Last YearAverage % Withdrawn

100-499 500-999 1000-1999 2000-4999 5000-999910000-49999

5.005.227.906.107.818.71

Libraries ServingPopulation

Source: 2009 NE Public library statistics

3% of the Average CollectionAverage # Books in Collection

100-499 500-999 1000-1999 2000-4999 5000-999910000-49999

74721156815284272253609385525

Population Served

224.16 347.04 458.52 816.751082.82565.8

3%

What are the reasons that weeding doesn’t get done?

“There’s no such thing as a bad book.

1.

(The wrong) something is not better than nothing.

"Librarians have a responsibility for discarding unsound books of yesteryear. In the eyes of the public, the fact that they are on the shelves confers upon them an endorsement.“

--Clarke, G. E. "Propaganda." Library World, 42:62-63, October 1939

“Someone might need them”

2.

80/20 Rule (Pareto Principle)

20% of your books are responsible for 80% of your circulation

When Loriene Roy weeded 10% of three Illinois public libraries in 1985, only one percent of the weeded books were requested over the following eight months.

- Source: “Weeding without tears” by Loriene Roy, Collection Management Vol. 12, #1 and 2, 1990, pp. 83-93, p. 91.

-Source: Weeding Library Collections, by Stanley J. Slote, 1989, p. 64.

The best predictor of future circulation?

Past circulation

“We haven’t gotten all the good out of it yet.”

3.

“It’s not worn out.”OR

Collection Development

Select

Process and Catalog Circulate

Weed and discard

Cycle

Display:

“Good Books You Might Have Missed”

Photo: Newton Free Library. Available at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/newtonfreelibrary/4727837472/

start with 12 books--not too many

“I don’t want to admit I made a poor selection.”

4.

All discarded lovers should be given a second chance, but with somebody else. - -Mae West

books

“It might be valuable”5.

http://www.abebooks.com/books/RareBooks/

“What will people say?”

6.

Like most kinds of equipment, most books eventually lose their effectiveness

“We won’t have anything left”

7.

Source: 2009 NE Public Library Statistics

# Books Purchased for Every Book Withdrawn

Additions/Withdrawals

100-499 500-999 1000-1999 2000-4999 5000-999910000-49999

2.163.395.0984.971.261.10

Libraries ServingPopulation

1920……..….……61871957……..…...13,1421977……..…...35,4692007……..….185,969

American Book Production(New Books and New Editions)

--Bowker Annual, 1959, 1978, 2009

The library looks fine/ there’s plenty of room

8.

Ask someone who is not familiar with your library, or Take pictures

Shelves just inside the door circulate 24% more books than shelves 15 feet inside the door.

(98) (74) Shaw, 1938

Books Circulated from One Section of Shelves

18

29

18

28

16

13

5

Top

Bottom

Row 2

Row 3

Row 4

Row 5

Row 6

Source: “The Influence of sloping shelves on book circulation” by Ralph R. Shaw, The Library Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 4, October 1938, pp. 480-490.

In 1973, when Stanley Slote weeded 20% of fiction, six months later circulation increased 106.2%, 20 months later the increase was 121.2%.

- Source: Weeding Library Collections by Stanley J. Slote, 1989, p. 65.

9.There isn’t time

Make everyone (staff and volunteers) part of the Weeding Team

• Weed as you go—when an item is in hand• Set small daily or weekly goals• Have a contest• Form a support group – “Reluctant

Weeders”• Make a chart of the stacks and color in

where you’ve weeded• Have your weeding kit ready to go

Tips

“I don’t know where to start.”

10.

CREW

Download at:http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/

CREW Summary Chart

What to Weedor

Using CREW

Copyright DateIs it more than X year(s) ago?

Maximum permissible time without use

Musty

Ugly

Superseded

Trivial

Irrelevant to your collection

Elsewhere (I.L.L.)

CREW Criteria

To Weed or Not To Weed? Checklist of Weeding Factors

Intellectual Content•Author•Publisher•Date•Reading level•Current interest?

Aesthetic Content•Illustrations•Format•Visual Appeal

Physical Condition

Suitability•Contributes to Mission•In school curricula?

Circumstances•Circulation Stats•Any more copies?•Expense to replace•Similar resources?

Your Library Selection Policy

Includes :•De-selection criteria•Weeding schedule•Disposal methods

Each item, through its quality, reliability, current usefulness andappearance, must earn its place on the shelf, and contribute to the reliability, reputation and attractiveness of the Library.

http://www.infopeople.org/training/past/2007/weeding/WMRLS_sample_weed_policy.pdf

Sample Policy Language

Quick & Dirty– Duplicate copies no longer needed– Items in obviously poor condition– Drab items that get lost on shelves– Older single title authors– Obscure or ephemeral titles– Knockoffs of popular authors (Series of

Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter)– Lesser works of authors who have died– Minor author/poet collections– Series books when titles are missing– Simplified/abridged classics Jeanette Larson, Small Library Mgt. Training Program,

Collection Development Course

Consider weeding:

Steps to Weeding1.Gather usage statistics2.Maintain a weeding kit3.Study the area you will be weeding4.Weed5.Double check in indexes & bibliographies 6.Dispose of weeded materials—discard,

recycle, sell, donate7.Order replacements or put on a wish list to

reorder when funds are available8.Merchandise low circulating, high-quality

items

http://www.swiffer.com/en_US/home.do

Swiffer Duster Coupon

Think boutique (high-quality, current selection)

Be aware of ephemeral interests Board books should be replaced more

often since they get the most abuse Replace worn copies of perennial faves

(multiples)

Advice for Specific Sections: Picture Books

Advice for Specific Sections: YA Fiction

Be ruthless in this section Currency is key Paperbacks >5 years, remove if not circulating well

Advice for Specific Sections: C&YA Non-Fiction

Anything is not better than nothing Be aware of online resources Better to not have books that have bad

information Use CREW Guidelines by Dewey Class as

in adult sections

Other C&YA Issues• Abridged classics (often poor quality)• Series books (often poor quality, replace if titles don’t

stand alone and collect for various reading levels)• Older titles – beware of dated look, torn pages, shabby

bindings• Worn classics should be replaced (Don’t be

sentimental!)• Geography titles older than 5 years – toss• Science, medicine, inventions – rapid changes so

update every 5 years• Textbooks – gauge by demand in community and

homeschool population

Advice for Specific Sections: Reference

Older editions may be weeded when superseded Materials should be periodically evaluated, (not as

often as circulating collection and not as continuous)

Different replacement schedules (new editions may not be as frequent)

Keep websites and databases in mind Consider integrating reference materials into the

circulating collection, especially if usage is poor

Advice for Specific Sections: Periodicals

Current use – use declines drastically 5 years after publication date

Interest in circulating older issues – do you allow back issues to circulate?

Full-text availability Space

Advice for Specific Sections: Media

Subjective Criteria Worn out

Out-of-dateRarely usedSupplied elsewhere Trivial or faddish

Keepers

Volumes of sets and series with special merit

Older reference works augmented by (not superseded by) later editionsi.e. Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations

Local history

Works by local authors

Classics DebateIt’s our duty as librarians to expose people to “great” literature.

Unless a movie comes out based on a classic, are people still reading them?

ReadRead

How Often Between Systematic Reviews?

Dewey Years 000 3 100 4 200 5 300 3 400 5 500 2 600 2 700 3 800 5 900 4

Biography 2Fiction 2Large Print 2Paperbacks 1Children’s 2Young Adult 3Scores 5Media 2Software 2

Keys to Weeding Success

Make weeding part of policy

Build weeding into the regular work schedule

Inventory as you weed

Follow up on questions/problems

Consider the collection as a whole

Weeding library collections: library weeding methods, 4th ed., by Stanley J Slote. Englewood, Colo. Libraries Unlimited, 1997. ISBN: 1563085119 9781563085116.

Less is more: a practical guide to weeding school library collections, by Donna J Baumbach and Linda L Miller. Chicago. American Library Association, 2006. ISBN: 0838909191 9780838909195.

Collection development and resources access plan for the Skokie Public Library, 3rd ed., by Teri Room and Barbara A Kozlowski. Skokie, IL. Skokie Public Library, 2008. ISBN: 0838985068 9780838985069.

http://www.ala.org/ala/professionalresources/libfactsheets/alalibraryfactsheet15.cfm

Reward Yourself & Your Team

Laura JohnsonContinuing Education Coordinator,Nebraska Library Commissionlaura.johnson@nebraska.gov402.471.2694 or 800.307.2665