Using the WorldCat Collection Analysis Tool to Weed Your Library’s Collection

To Read, or to Weed?

Why Weed? Part of assessment and evaluation Weeding is an ongoing process and is a joint effort

between liaison librarians and the general faculty. Weeding is an essential element of library service which achieves a number of goals: Outdated, unused, and no longer reliable materials are

discarded Shelf space for new acquisitions is increased Finding and shelving materials is much easier for clientele and

staff Deteriorated materials can be repaired, replaced, or discarded The collection’s reputation for reliability and currency is

enhanced

Linscheid Library Collection Development Handbook http://www.ecok.edu/library/information/assessment.htm

Systematic Approach Determine areas to weed

25 areas/5 librarians/5 areas per yr/entire collection in 5 years

Consult syllabi Use WorldCat Collection Analysis to determine:

a. overall age of holdings; b. uniqueness of holdings; c. items lent via ILL; d. a peer comparison of other regional schools in Oklahoma; and e. a ‘best lists’ comparison.

Use ILS for initial listLinscheid Library Weeding Handbook

http://www.ecok.edu/library/information/assessment.htm

Creating an Initial List Books that have never been checked out Create this list using Millennium Will be the foundation list for all further

lists What to watch out for: reference books

or other materials that do not circulate, and newly-catalogued materials which have not had a chance to circulate

Peer Comparison & ILL How accessible are the materials? Is a

single title shared by multiple institutions?

Will show how many materials are unique to your collection in the region, or unique to WorldCat

Unique can be a good thing, or it can sometimes point to irrelevancy (e.g., “Is a book on soda can construction beneficial to the collection?”)

Is anybody else using your books via interlibrary loan?

“Best of” Lists What books are must-haves? Should titles be weeded even if they are

contained on a ‘best of’ list as established using the WorldCat tool?

What do we mean by a “best of” list?

How We Incorporate the Information

All the numbers are put into an Excel spreadsheet

The spreadsheet is weeded using basic Excel tools

Titles are eliminated from the list that are: New to the collection Appear on “best of” lists Have been ILLed Unique titles deemed relevant to the

collection

Important to Remember The weeding lists are only a jumping-off

point Librarians still need to do traditional

viewing of the physical state of the materials

The list will not catch everything, nor is it meant to; the librarian can use it as a guide to help with starting weeding, not a catch-all

M.U.S.T.I.E. is the word of the day

Liaison Involvement Library liaisons are responsible for the

weeding of their designated areas. Weeding is an essential and continuing library practice. Liaisons should involve their faculty, whenever possible, in this process to ensure that publications of historical or research value are not discarded. Collection lists Physically looking at the collection Working with students (i.e., service

learning)Linscheid Library Liaison Handbook

http://www.ecok.edu/library/information/assessment.htm

Liaison Report Handbooks mentioned are part of assessment

efforts Assessment efforts overlap into annual

evaluation process Liaison report (due at evaluation) documents:

Departments served Communication & outreach Collaboration efforts Collection development – weeding report Bibliographic instruction

Conclusion Starting a weeding project can be

daunting WorldCat can be a valuable tool in

beginning a weeding project, or simply better understanding the nature of your collection

While it can never be totally comprehensive, creating lists with WCA will provide solid groundwork for both present and future weeding

Contact Information

Christopher W. ClarkRecords Assistant, Linscheid Librarycwclark@ecok.edu(580) 559-5280