Materials will be evaluated and removed from the Library’s collection on an ongoing basis. Weeding will be guided by the following:
-Needs and demands of the community
-Budget (the ability to purchase more satisfactory material)
-Availability of more suitable material (updated information; superseded editions, ie: almanacs, atlas, dictionary, non-biased, racist, sexist)
-Future usefulness of a particular item (unused, mediocre quality of writing, repetitious series no longer popular, space constraints)
-Use of the internet and inter-library loans – available elsewhere
Benefits of Weeding:
-Space: (Shelves 75-85% full) Open appearance
-Time: ease of locating and shelving books
-Appeal: clean, user friendly appearance – good air flow
-Reputation: up to date, reliable materials, credibility of information
-Continuous check: makes updating easier
-Feedback: awareness of strengths and weakness of collection
Process:
Use of CREW (Continuous, Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) Guidelines 6 basic criteria:
M-Misleading – factually inaccurate
U-Ugly – worn beyond mending and rebinding
S-Superseded – by a new edition of a much better book on the subject
T- Trivial – of no discernible literary of scientific merit
I-Irrelevant to the needs and interests of the library’s community
E-Elsewhere – the material is easily obtainable from another library
A continuous review and evaluation of materials will be conducted.
Disposition of weeded material:
Repair – rebind, mend
Sell or trade – ongoing or annual book sale/ trade with other libraries
Donate – nursing home, Amish, other library
Recycle – periodicals and non-hardcover books
Destroy