A Process for Weeding Page 1

As with any collection development process, there are a number of ways in which a library can be weeded.  As you become more adapt at weeding, you will undoubtedly find a method that works best for you.  However, any method should include the following steps.

1.  Review your general weeding policy.  Make sure that you understand and can explain the rationale for weeding.  Bring the weeding process before the governing authority for the library, so that they understand what you will be doing.

2.  Create a plan for weeding the library.  Ideally, the entire library should be weeded every year, but time and personnel constraints may make this difficult.  Break the library down into individual classification sections and decide the order in which the sections will be weeded.  You may want to start with relatively small sections, so that you will have some feeling of accomplishment early in the process.  Remember as you make your schedule that special events may affect the order.  You will not want to weed the section on the Civil War, for example, during that time in the school year when all of the history classes are doing Civil War projects.  

Also decide who will be involved in the weeding process.  Not all of weeding requires the same level of expertise.  A well-trained page, for example, may be able to pull books, based on the CREW criteria.  Final decisions about weeding materials, however, should always be left to senior staff members.

3.  Review the CREW criteria for the section to be weeded.  Go over the criteria by which materials will be pulled for consideration for weeding.  If you are using other staff to pull books based on the CREW criteria, spend some time training them in how to use the criteria.  

4.  Gather the necessary equipment and supplies for weeding on a book cart.  The CREW Manual lists the needed equipment and supplies as:

    a.  The appropriate drawer from the shelf list catalog or a computer printout of the section being considered.

    b.  A sheaf of slips listing the various disposal categories, a blank note pad or Post-It NotesTM  An example of a disposal slip appears below:

    

 

 

 

    

   

    c.  A marking pen and shelf marker

    d.  A protective apron with pockets (optional)

    e.  The CREW Manual

The process will be continued on the next page.

( ) Bindery                                                                                ( ) Discard
( ) Mend/Preserve                                                                   ( ) Book Sale
( ) Promote                                                                               ( ) Replacement/New Edition
( ) Donate to _______________________________________________________
( ) Trade with ______________________________________________________
( ) Check database for other locations of this title

Other locations of this title: ___________________________________________
Replacement title: ___________________________________________________

 

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