More Best Practices on "The Art of Weeding"

Jonathan P. Bell

INFO 266

March 12, 2016

Chant, I. (2015). The art of weeding. Library Journal, 140(11), 34-37. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/06/managing-libraries/the-art-of-weeding-collection-management/#_

Weeding is one of the most challenging functions of collection management. The librarian is tasked with removing books -- a thankless, counter-intuitive and resource-intensive duty that the public rarely understands. Library users often perceive such removal as offensive, as in: “Why are you taking away our books?!!” But weeding is necessary. As Chant observed in this article, by removing outdated and unused books, weeding preserves the “health of a collection.”

It’s valuable to highlight Chant’s thesis. After opening with a description of all the headaches associated with weeding, the author asks: “So why go to the trouble? Because in a library, just as in a garden, taking out unwanted items makes those left behind stand out.” It’s difficult to say it any better. Weeding enhances your collection.  In the space below I outline Chant’s arguments for effective weeding.

• Weeding is normal - Weeding a collection should be viewed as a regular and necessary part of collection management. Conducting weeding in regular intervals prevents the confusion and potential negative optics that arise from last minute or irregular weeding.
• Be mindful of public perceptions - There stories from around the world of library users up in arms upon learning of weeded books ending up in dumpsters. Librarians can avoid public relations snafus by working with user groups to identify appropriate weeding areas and being cautious and thoughtful about their weeding methods.
• Large-scale weeding is tricky but necessary - Whether it’s because of materials damage or outdatedness, librarians will have to weed in large numbers at some point. Communication is imperative. You need to tell users what’s being weeded and why. Explain the reasoning to line staff so they can relay it to users. Consider sharing your “how and why we weed” online, too.
• Data-driven weeding with a human touch - Off the shelf software is available to run data analyses to help select potential titles for weeding. However, library staff familiar with your materials absolutely must weigh in on weeding decisions. Personal knowledge of user preferences is crucial. An algorithm alone cannot be the final arbiter.
• Weeding by age - Contemporariness and condition of materials play a role in weeding decisions. But there are caveats. Owning a rare or important book in poor condition is more valuable than not owning it. Publication date alone is not a catch-all metric for weeding in every subject. Yes, outdated and inaccurate materials are potential candidates for deselection, but librarians should consider whether such items are worth preserving for history or archival research.
• Weeding by recycling - Weeded books can have a fruitful afterlife as recycled pulp, art objects, even upcycled furniture. Before thinking of a dumpster, librarians should think of creative ways to repurpose weeded materials.
• Weeding eResources - Even digital materials should be weeded. Librarians should look to download and eCheckout data to assess the popularity of digital materials in the collection. Libraries can save on the cost of rising digital subscriptions by focusing on eResources that users actually use.
  
  

Evaluation

Chant’s article is among the many entries I’m finding in the apparent LIS subfield I’m now calling “Weeding the right way” (my own title). Chant’s 2015 entry is similar to the 2010 article by Allen I reviewed earlier this semester. Chant offers similar or the same “how to weed right” best practices, though his analysis goes a step further by including a section on digital weeding. That’s the major improvement over Allen’s article, which was a very informative piece itself. Both Allen and Chant’s articles are enlightening, and both offer useful guidance on how to weed properly, but in examining eBook weeding, Chant provides more relevant insight for today’s increasingly digital collections.