As a collection grows, it is important to
monitor the resources to be sure that they continue to support the
collection. A physical inventory checks the materials that are
actually in the collection against those that are suppose to be in the
collection. Missing items need to be accounted for.
On the other hand, materials that are in the collection need to be
reviewed periodically to ensure that they still represent accurate,
meaningful resources to support the needs of users. This process is
called "weeding." It serves the purpose of:
| Removing outdated, damaged, or inaccurate materials. |
| Keeping a collection relevant to the curriculum. |
| Encouraging more effective library use by enhancing shelf space and
reducing maintenance requirements. |
| Maintaining an attractive, user-friendly collection that showcases
relevant materials. |
| Making shelf space for new materials. |
Also referred to as "de-selection," decisions about
when resources have served their useful purpose should consider:
| Library/school/district goals. |
| User needs and demands. |
| Cooperative agreements with other libraries. |
| Maintaining materials that are physically able to circulate and
withstand normal usage. |
| Circulation patterns and patron use. |
While many librarians weed while conducting inventories, others believe
an ongoing weeding process is more effective. If a collection is
broken down into areas with a section being reviewed each year, then the
entire collection gets consistently reviewed over the weeding cycle.
Weeding involves the subjective, professional judgment of the library
media specialist.
When items are selected to be culled from a collection, library media
specialists need to check with administrators to be sure that procedures
and policies for discarded materials are followed. In my resource
section, there is a page devoted to weeding links.
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Needs Analysis Collection Evaluation Selection Policies Budgeting Acquisitions Weeding Censorship Circulation Privacy Policies Internet Access Web Resources
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