[Libs-Or] Weeding Insights

[Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney]

Hi Eryn,

You've gotten really great advice! My other recommendation would be to start with the sections that are most embarrassing if there's something super outdated in them. The 900s (assuming you're using Dewey) are a REALLY good place to start; when I took over as director, my collection had mostly been weeded for circulation, but not so much for content. Consequently, I found books about East and West Germany still on the shelf, as well as several African nations that no longer exist, and some wildly inappropriate books on Native Americans. It's also good to give your health titles a good going-over, since these are also books that can be damaging if the information is outdated.

I would be tempted to do a big weed just to really clear out the collection, but I can understand not wanting to leave shelves empty. So, I would focus first on making sure that the books you have on your shelves aren't actively harmful, and then go from there.

Kirsten Brodbeck-Kenney, MLIS
Library Director
Driftwood Public Library
801 SW Highway 101 #201
Lincoln City, OR 97367
Phone: 541-996-1251
kbrodbeck-kenney at lincolncity.org

From: Libs-Or [mailto:libs-or-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Eryn McKee
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2017 2:34 PM
To: libs-or at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
Subject: [Libs-Or] Weeding Insights

Hello- I'm looking for some insights, suggestions, etc... on weeding my library collection.  I've done fairly well with the fiction section but when it comes to the non-fiction and the reference section, I'm overwhelmed.  This is my 17th year here and in that time there has been some weeding done here and there, mostly at the end of the school year when I read the shelves but nothing consistent.   Due to budget cuts at this point I am the only library staff.  Our non-fiction and reference are woefully outdated.  A lot of the books are older than my high school students.  If I went through and pulled everything that shouldn't still be on the shelves, I wouldn't be left with a whole lot!

I have read the following books on weeding:

Less is More: A practical Guide to Weeding School Library Collections

The Weeding Handbook: A Shelf by Shelf Guild

Both were very helpful but I just don't know where to start!  I want to pull all these horribly outdated books off the shelf but I need to be able to update the collection as well but that is easier said than done.  Books are not cheap and my budget is only so much each year.  I'm thinking maybe I could apply for a grant or ask my PSO for money to help buy more books.

Any thoughts, insights, suggestions, would be greatly appreciated, especially if you have experience updating a really outdated collection.

Thanks so much!

Eryn

--

Eryn McKee

Librarian -MLS

(Classified)

Tigard High School

Co-Vice President- OSEA Chapter 51
(503)431-5451<tel:%28503%29431-5451>
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