how to get your weeding off the ground 1-1
TRANSCRIPT
How to get your Weedingoff the Ground
Ann Lininger, Racine Public LibraryAngela Milock, Wisconsin Library Services
Jane Richard, Wisconsin Library Services
You have permission!
Don’t let an emotional connection to materials get in your way
Examine the lifetime cost/benefit of items Get buy-in from staff, board and other
interested parties Get inspired – check out resources like awful
library books (awfullibrarybooks.com)
Why weed?
Increased circ = increased funding Better representation of items patrons want
and need Ensure the accuracy and currency of
collection Easier for patrons to find what they are
looking for
Pre-planning
Decide weeding criteria M.U.S.T.Y.
Misleading Ugly Superseded Trivial Your library does not need it
Circulation stats Lifetime circs Recent circs
Age of material
Exceptions not covered here Special collections
Examples: Local history Genealogy Award winners
Academic collections Different criteria: curriculum,
faculty favorites, etc.
Pre-planning
Who and what else is affected? System and other libraries
o Number of copies in your systemo System collection policies
Central versus local processingo Updating the catalog holdings
Friends’ book sale: warn them that there will be a big shipment coming
Pre-planning
Pull reports from ILS Circ reports over time to compare post-weeding Shelf list of what to pull takes the guesswork out
o Your criteria would determine thisExample: 1. Books published on or before 1994 2. 0, 1, or 2 total checkouts 3. Last checkout before 1/1/08
Pre-planning
Scheduling Continual weeding=The CREW way One time event Worker availability Calendar of events
o Re-model or other change to the building
Pre-planning
How to process Items
o Discard stampo Storage
Catalog recordo Adhere to system standards
– Depending on your system, records would be either deleted or suppressed
o Keep up with holdings work
Jump right in!
Start with one manageable section, one classification number or even just one shelf
Enlist the help of staff at every level Example: Circ staff empowered to divert books in
bad condition, instead of re-shelving Get into the Zen of de-selection
Process itemsA flowchart might help visualize the steps
In the stacks
ClipboardsMarkersSticky notesFlags Small book truck(s)BoxesComputer work stationsPencils
Discard stampGlovesAllergy medicineWarm bodiesWeeding criteriaProcedures manualHighlightersPhone
Post-weeding Friends group for book sale Crafternoons! Storage (Shhhh…dumpster) Donate
Jail library groups Goodwill
Better World Books:Isaac Salazar creation
Before….
After weeding