the 'w' word: weeding!
DESCRIPTION
The “W” Word “Weeding” in library circles is often a dirty word. Why would we want to get rid of anything? Maybe you have experienced a backlash or resistance from the community, persistent patrons, your board, your staff, or even yourself. How we approach the task is as important as how we carry it out. Preparation, publicity, timing, mindset, and creating your strategy all figure in the first steps of deselection. After this webinar participants will • understand how weeding fits into the larger scheme of collection management • understand more fully the need for deselection of materials and the reasons for resistance to weeding. • understand the need for transparency and working with public relations in relation to weeding. • be able to get started on a strategic plan for weeding in their library.TRANSCRIPT
The ‘W’ Word: Weeding!
“But someone might want that book!!”
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
After this webinar participants will• understand how weeding fits into the larger
scheme of collection management• understand more fully the need for deselection
of materials and the reasons for resistance to weeding.
• understand the need for transparency and working with public relations in relation to weeding.
• be able to get started on a strategic plan for weeding in their library.
Objectives
Collection Management
Budgeting, Evaluating, Selecting, Assessing, and Maintaining the collection
of information provided by your institution.
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Collection Management Policy
Says HOW you are: Budgeting, Evaluating, Selecting, Assessing, and
Maintaining the collection of information provided by your institution.
It saves you loads of time and trouble.
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Assessing, and Maintaining the collection of information provided by your institution.
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Weeding
Weeding
De-selection De-accessionCulling
Otherwise known as
“Intelligent discarding of library materials”
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Re-Fining Shaping
Withdrawing
Purging
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
ImproveHeighten
StrengthenEnrich
CultivateRefine
Collection Development
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
“To Develop”
Antonyms for ‘refine’ include: dirty, damage, pollute, corrupt
Change the Focus
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
If we are ‘refining’ the collection we are
Improving it!
Why weed?
OvercrowdingOutdated information/technology
Poor shapeShift in Community NeedsPoor quality of material
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Why we don’t weed
Emotional attachmentReluctance to judgeDifficult decisions
Fear of public reprisalFear of “empty shelves”
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Why we don’t weed
“It’s better to have older items than nothing at all.”
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Libraries with fresher collections had higher circulation than larger collections with older materials.“Maintaining a Healthy Library Collection: the Need to Weed” Chris Jones, Aplis, 20 (4).
“I/We just don’t have the time or staff.”You find the time to purchase the items. Some are easy choices, others take some review. Weeding is the same thing. Why is one more important that the other?
Why we don’t weed
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
“A book that is outdated, damaged, poorly written or even dangerous still has value and still holds information that should never be lost – even if only to warn us not to travel certain roads again.”“Is it the purpose of EVERY library to preserve the entirety of the human published record? Is that proper stewardship at your library?”
How to fight the Hoarding Instinct
You can always find it elsewhere
There may be a better place for it
It’s okay for something to not be right at your fingertips
Weigh it against what you cannot have because you kept it.
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Collection Management Policy
Treat ‘unacquiring’ with the same due process as acquiring!
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
May 6th: Collection Management Policies
Weeding & Public Relations
Collection Management PoliciesWeeding on a regular basis (under the
radar)Educated staffTransparency
Educated public
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Why we don’t weed: Customer Edition
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
“It would be wonderful to keep more books, but libraries are not black holes. The shelves are only so big and expansions are expensive and rare. We, as librarians, can cater to the majority or to a few patrons, who may or may not exist, who are researching the history of a topic. We buy books on the history of all topics. I would rather have a new book on cancer treatments and a book on the history of cancer than keep all the old books on cancer treatment and give sick patrons and their families inaccurate information.”
“It pains me greatly that our public library has discarded so many wonderful books now out of print – especially children’s books. And when I looked online to buy some of them the prices were stunning – many in the triple digits! Funny how those used, out of print treasures were almost all library discards.”
“I’d rather see the books on the shelves with stickers or labels informing the public that this book is outdated and may not contain the most recent information and/or incorrect information. Something like that rather than taking away from the pubic. Additional information is positive, limiting access to information is a negative.”
Excerpts from Awful Library Books http://awfullibrarybooks.net/why-weed/
Weeding & Public Relations
It’s not always because of technology.
Community Needs Change!
Population Education
AccessibilityEconomics
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Austin Public Library Annual Weeding Contest
Public Relations
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Tell ‘em about it!
Public Relations
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Avoiding That BIG PROJECT
Just like anything in life, the more you do it the easier it
is. Make it part of regular duties.
Collection Management is Like Gardening
Neglected
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Benefits of Weeding on a regular basis
Assess patterns of usageFind hidden gems
Keep up with missing titles (series/current topics)
Assist with selection processCataloging improvements
Easier and not as noticeable as a BIG weed!
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Tackling That BIG PROJECT
Treat it like a remodel. Look at the positive rather than the negative.Focus on the results.Let people know what you are doing!
Getting Started
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Check your policies Involve everyone Determine the Public Relations
approach Determine the workflow Select where discards go Don’t look for trouble if it isn’t there
Project Planning and Management
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Stakeholders: staff, management, board, governing bodies (if applicable), customers, and community.
Do you have a Project Definition & Scope? (what are you doing and how much does it affect)
Project Objectives? (what are the goals and expected results) Cost / Benefit Analysis? (why should we do this) Staffing Requirements? (how many people/hours do we need) Time Line? (when are you starting, ending, and what are the milestones in
between) Risk Analysis? (What could happen and how would we deal with it) Critical Success Criteria (if we meet these, we've met our goals)
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
How-To
May 27th: Weeding: The Action
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M.
Powell/Bibioease.com
Is there an agency better suited to house that material?
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
What to do with books that are out of date, inaccurate, or dangerous?
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com
Because if we don’t laugh we cry . . .
“In too many libraries, collection development is actually based on the book as an object. Public libraries should not be in the business of accumulating physical objects. The purpose should be to provide the content that is needed and used by the public.“
~Texas Public Library Standards
The 'W' Word: Weeding ©2014 Melissa M. Powell/Bibioease.com