CE Project Agreement for IV-C-1 (001)

Weed a collection

Word version of this agreement

Purpose: Learn issues related to weeding library collections and apply standard criteria for removing books from a collection.

Name of library:
Proposed completion date:

Core skill: IV-C-1 use standard assessment and weeding techniques to maintain a vital, current and attractive collection.Eligible participants: Librarians

Repeatable?: The same librarian can not repeat this project.

Do you want help from a CKLS consultant?
___ No help needed.
___ Yes, modify project agreement
___ Yes, suggest other readings or learning
___ Yes, early preparation visit
___ Yes, one-on-one coaching through activity
___ Yes, other: _______________________________
Learning component:
Attend a CE event on reviewing library policy or read the following materials.

• The incentive grant section of the CKLS System Plan says, “All libraries will maintain attractive collection by weeding (withdrawing) at least two percent of the materials collection per year. The librarians can accomplish this requirement by carefully evaluating the collection and withdrawing items that no longer meet the collection development standard. Items that have checked out but never returned may count as withdrawn items. Potential effect if standard is not met. $100”
• Standards for Kansas Public Libraries, 2006 Revision at http://tinyurl.com/35hx7r (Wayback)
• Standard 4.21, says,“The library’s collections should provide the public with materials that meet the information and recreation needs of the community. Every library should have a written collection management policy that:
  • supports the tenets of intellectual freedom in print and online resources
  • includes selection criteria
  • includes weeding criteria and methods for disposing of withdrawn materials
  • describes methods the library will use to obtain materials it does not own
  • includes the criteria for gifts
  • describes the procedure the library will use handling challenges to library-owned materials.”


• Standard 4.26 says,“Every public library should have a continuous weeding program. At least 20% of the collection should be evaluated on an annual basis. At minimum, two to three percent should be weeded from the collection in each complete review of the entire collection. The CREW Method is a useful resource for weeding projects and is available from the systems and the State Library.”


• “Weed to achieve: a fundamental part of the public library mission?” by Juris Dilevko and Lisa Gottlieb in Library Collections, Acquisitions & Technical Services, Vol. 27 (2003), pp. 73–96 at http://tinyurl.com/2nzwos
  • On page 80, scrutinize Table 3, “Reasons for weeding.”
  • On page 82, scrutinize Table 5, “Factors discouraging weeding.”
  • On page 84, scrutinize Table 6, “Public reaction to weeding decisions,” and read the long paragraph below the table.
  • On pages 85-86, scrutinize Table 7, “Fate of weeded items.”
  
  
  • On page 87, scrutinize Table 9, “Personal beliefs about weeding.”
  
  
  • On page 88, scrutinize Table 10, “Changes needed to improve weeding procedures.”
  • On page 88, read section “4.7 Recommendations for improving the weeding process.”
  
  
  • Read the conclusion on pages 93 to 95.
• Weeding policies.
  • Sample weeding policies at http://tinyurl.com/27kmxc
  
  
  • Guidelines for weeding library materials at http://tinyurl.com/2jsafl (Wayback)
  
  
  • “Collection Development Materials Selection Policy” at Morton Grove Public Library Web site at http://tinyurl.com/2vyzya (Wayback)
    
    • Read “Weeding” policy at http://tinyurl.com/2lcdhu (Wayback)
    
    
    • Read “Collection Development Goals” for the Youth Services Department at http://tinyurl.com/376br9 (Wayback)
    
    
    • At http://tinyurl.com/2vyzya (Wayback), the policies for each collection has a “Retention & Weeding Policy.” Read, for example, the “Retention & Weeding” sections for “Fiction,” “Mysteries,” and “ Young Adult” collections.
  • Lincoln Carnegie Library http://tinyurl.com/6zcy5j.
• Chapter 3, “Weeding” of Managing and Analyzing Your Collection at http://tinyurl.com/22m6m9
  
  • On pages 59-60, read “What is weeding?”
  
  
  • On pages 60-65, read “Evaluation of policy and goals.”
  • On pages 68-69, read “General guidelines for retention.”
  • On pages 70-71, read “How to discard library materials.”


• Weed It! For an attractive and useful collection" at http://tinyurl.com/3djwp3 (Wayback)
  
  • Read “How do we get the staff and public on our side?”
  
  
  • Read “How to convince staff and the public weeding is necessary?”


• Newspaper article "What is weeding and why it is important for a useful community library?" at http://tinyurl.com/64oabp


• Resources for evaluating retention or weeding of materials available through the CKLS Professional Collection.

- Fiction Catalog
- Public Library Catalog
- Children’s Catalog

• Amazon recommendations at http://www.amazon.com/


• Ideas for Disposing Weeded books at http://tinyurl.com/25lmdx (Wayback)
• The CREW method: Expanded guidelines for collection evaluation and weeding small and medium-sized public libraries at http://tinyurl.com/yw3j26 (Wayback)


• Tips from librarians completing this project at http://tinyurl.com/5grse9

Library work component:

1. Read your library’s collection management library policies about weeding. If your library’s policies do not have a weeding policy, then write a policy and ask the board to pass this policy at the next meeting.


2. For at least one section to be weeded, write down your circulation for the past two months prior to beginning this project. Your summary of this project will ask for circulation of the same section for the 2 months following the weeding.


3. Calculate the number of sections that must be weeded each week to meet the standard of 20% of the library each year. Here is how to make this calculation.


• Count the sections of shelving holding all adult and children’s fiction and non-fiction, easy readers, etc.


• Multiply this number by .20. This gives 20% of the sections.
• Divide by 50 for the number of weeks in the year. This gives the number of sections that must be weeded each week.
4. Each week of the weeding period, estimate how many boxes are need to hold 30% of the items on the shelves to be weeded that week.
5. Decide how weeded items will be disposed. Determine how long boxes of weeded items will be kept before disposal.


6. Prepare adequate storage space for boxes of weeded books until items can be disposed.


7. Follow your library policy to weed materials. For suggestions about weeding specific collections, use the CREW Manual at http://tinyurl.com/yw3j26, Sunlink Weed of the Month – Archive at http://www.sunlink.ucf.edu/weed/ and Morton Grove’s Retention & Weeding policy for the specific collection.


8. During weeding mark progress on the “Ongoing inventory and weeding chart” at http://tinyurl.com/3mxmfz


9. “Bookmarks for inventory and weeding” at http://tinyurl.com/4qgo64 can be placed in books to tell what non-weeding operations should be done to them. (No need to bookmark books that will be weeded.)


10. Optional: When items seem too good to throw away or would “surely have checked out if they hadn’t been on the bottom shelves,” display them face-out by the front door. If they still don’t check out after a month on the display, then continue the weeding process.


11. As items are weeded, pull their checkout cards if the library is not automated. If the library is automated, then carry weeded books to the computer and remove the record for those books.


12. Store boxes of weeded items until disposal.
13. Use the checkout cards or the books themselves to remove cards in the library’s card catalog and your holdings on the Kansas Library Catalog.
14. Dispose of weeded items.
15. Provide the circulation statistics for the weeded collections for two months after the weeding is complete.
16. To receive credit for completing this project, submit the following.


• Submit a copy of your weeding policy.


• Filled out copy of the "Summary of weeding CE Project". (Word document)


• A filled out CE Project Agreement Evaluation form (Word document)