Weeding with Updated CREW

Presented by Dawn Vogler

Be Weeding Tigers! (or Tigresses)

• Take charge of your collection• Change your attitude towards

weeding• Get intimate with your collection

Make it fierce for your customers!

The Attitude

Weeding….huh?

A process for removing books that no longer fit within the collection guidelines, are in poor condition or are outdated.

(or in teen speak- take out what sucks)

CREW That Collection

Continuous Review

EvaluationWeeding

Selection, Cataloging, Circulation and Reference, then CREW

Ranganathan

Ranganathan is considered the father of library science ... in India.

5 Laws of Library Science

• Books are for use (not storage!)• Every reader his (or her) book.• Every book its reader.• Save the time of the reader.• A library is a growing organism

80/20 Rule or Pareto Principle

20% of your books are responsible for 80% of

your circulation

Books, in and of themselves, are not sacred objects.

Libraries exist to makeinformation available, not to warehouse unused books.

-Jeanette Larson, SLM ProgramWorkshop on Collection Development

Weeders – you know who you are

• You like to save space• You like to save time• You like it pretty• You like it fresh and now• You like to keep things interesting• You want to know your library like

the back of your hand

Non-Weeders (tsk, tsk!)• “I hate dealing with my staff when it comes

to weeding.”• “I’m a packrat.”• “If my principal sees me throwing away

books…..”• “I can’t admit that was probably not a wise

purchase.”• “It’s not a priority. I don’t need the space.”• “I know some student will adore this book

just like I did when I was her/his age.”• “It’s on my long list of things to do.”

Excuses-Excuses• “I bought this book”• “It’s won awards!”• “Someone might need it – someday!”• “So and so donated it”• “I loved this book!”• “Mr. Schneebly taught this book back in 2000.”• “The kids need these classics!”• “I don’t have a lot of non-fiction.”• “We need to have X books in the collection.”• I have no budget to buy new books.”

Before You Attack

Review Your Collection Development Policy

• Pay particular attention to: Selection criteria

De-selection criteriaDiscard informationDistrict policiesStandardsCurriculum updates

Let staff involved read the policyDo you have any goals for the collection?

Get a Visual

Take a close look at the library noting:cluttered areasbooks shelved too high and lowmerchandised areas?new booksitems that look shabby right

away

Inventory and Stats

• Usage stats

Figuring Out What to Weed (MUSTIE)

1. Misleading/Inaccurate2. Ugly (Condition)3. Superseded/New edition/Outdated information4. Trivial (No longer of interest)5. Irrelevant (Likelihood for future use in your school)6. Available Elsewhere (district library, ILL, public

library)7. Unnecessary duplicates8. No circulation9. Any others?10.

To Weed or Not To Weed?Date/Author PublisherCondition Any more copies?Circulation stats Expense to replaceRelevance to curriculum Similar resources?Format Reading levelIllustrations

Can you take all these into consideration and remain sane?

Quick & Dirty

• De-dupe and keep only enough copies to meet normal demand• Lose books in obvious poor condition• Lose books without pretty covers that attract attention• Remove older single title authors• One book wonders!• Obscure or ephemeral titles• Knockoffs of popular authors (Series of Unfortunate Events)• Lesser works of authors who have died• Minor author/poet collections• Series books when titles are missing• Simplified/abridged classics

Sacred Cows

• Volumes of sets and series with special merit

• Older reference works augmented by (not superceded by) later editions

Weaknesses

Picture booksClassics

Reference

What are yours?

Clean Up

Disposal MethodsSellDonateTradeRecycleDestroy