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texas state library and archives commission cataloging in publication data larson jeanette crew a weeding manual for modern libraries revised and updated by jeanette larson austin tex texas state library and archives commission 2008 p ill 28 cm revision of the crew method expanded guidelines for collection evaluation and weeding for small and medium-sized public libraries belinda boon c1995 includes bibliographical references 1 discarding of books periodicals etc 2 public libraries collection development i texas state library and archives commission ii title 025.216 l329 2008 l1900.8 l329 2008 © copyright 2008 texas state library and archives commission crew a weeding manual for modern libraries by the texas state library and archives commission is licensed under a creative commons attribution-noncommercial-no derivative works 3.0 united states license http creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0 attribution statement crew a weeding manual for modern libraries © copyright 2008 texas state library and archives commission permissions for permissions outside of those granted by this creative commons license please contact the texas state library and archives commission library development division at lsc@tsl.state.tx.us or 512-463-5465 comments or complaints regarding the programs and services of the texas state library and archives commission can be addressed to the director and librarian p.o box 12927 austin texas 78711-2927 telephone 512-463-5460 or fax 512-463-5436 this publication is available in alternate formats upon request.

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table of contents introduction 6 acknowledgements 8 before we start the process 9 the cycle of service where crew fits in 10 why weed why crew 12 the six benefits of weeding 12 how much do i weed and when 13 before you weed 14 criteria for weeding 15 what to weed general guidelines 16 checklist of weeding factors 17 beginning the process 20 weeding responsibility 20 crew in ten steps 22 crewing children s materials 29 general guidelines 29 other considerations 31 crewing the reference collection 33 types of resources 34 crewing nonprint media 38 common nonprint materials 39 less common nonprint formats 42 crewing with computers 44 the crew guidelines for weeding your collection 46 crew guidelines by dewey class 49 000 generalities 49 100 philosophy and psychology 50 200 religion and mythology 51 300 social sciences 52 400 language 56 500 natural sciences 57 600 technology applied sciences 59 700 the arts 61 800 literature 63 900 history and geography 64 crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 3 of 93

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f fiction 65 graphic novels 65 periodicals also newspapers 66 government documents 66 nonprint audiovisual media 66 local history 68 crew guidelines for the children s collection 69 e easy readers/picture books 69 jf juvenile fiction 69 ya young adult fiction 70 j and ya nonfiction 70 what to do with weeded books types of disposal 71 epilogue encouraging the hesitant weeder 75 bibliography 79 standard collection bibliographies 79 recommended lists and best of the year lists 82 indexes 83 electronic databases 83 online resources 85 further readings 87 periodicals and electronic lists 89 appendix 91 overview chart of crew formulas 92 disposal slip template 93 crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 4 of 93

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i know no rules for discarding that eliminate possibility of error we all make mistakes but most of these mistakes i am convinced stand on the shelves gladys allison suggestions on discarding december 1938 weeding out requires more knowledge forethought and power of discrimination than is ordinarily brought to bear in the selection of books thomas aldred book selection and rejection march 1901 next to emptying the outdoor bookdrop on cold and snowy days weeding is the most undesirable job in the library it is also one of the most important will manley the manley arts booklist march 1 1996 a good library collection is like a good haircut it s not what you cut it s what you leave anne felix grand prairie texas public library system crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 5 of 93

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introduction for more than 30 years the crew method has provided guidance to librarians and staff in small and medium sized public libraries about how to cull outdated and no longer useful materials from their collections since its inception in 1976 the crew method has become the benchmark tool for weeding library collections it has been more than a decade since the first revised edition brought technology and online catalogs into the process this new edition called crew a weeding manual for modern libraries builds on the work of joseph p segal and belinda boon although much of the basic information remains the same the impact of changes in technology and its effect on library collections has been taken into consideration the crew guidelines by dewey class have been expanded even further and updated to reflect current practices new sections have been added that explain in more detail the mustie factors and types of disposal the bibliography has been updated to include current editions of standard works contemporary selections and expanded online resources although it is written primarily with the needs of small and medium sized public libraries in mind it has proven to be useful to libraries of all types and sizes since the release of the first revised edition in 1995 we have seen many changes in library operations almost universal access to the internet has affected every aspect of library public service by providing instantaneous access to information sources heretofore unknown many standard reference tools and nonfiction works that were available only in print form ten years ago are now available in electronic formats either through free or fee-based subscription services crew a weeding manual for modern libraries takes this into consideration as well as changes in selection and withdrawal practices in specific areas such as reference and nonfiction materials as with the previous editions this manual is designed for use primarily by librarians and staff in smaller community libraries and branches of larger systems we know that the crew method is used by librarians in many other states and we beg your indulgence when the manual refers to texas-specific resources and statewide projects while no librarian has enough time space or budget to ignore the need to weed crew a weeding manual for modern libraries strives to make the process easier for staff that may have the most difficulty finding ways to keep the collection current and vital the justification for weeding to maintain a collection that is vital relevant and useful and the criteria for weeding a library physical condition relevance of the subject currency of the information remain basically unchanged however libraries are experiencing increasing scrutiny from the public and funding sources and may be required to justify their discard practices in more detail access to online library catalogs and direct requests for interlibrary loan may cause some librarians to hold on even more tightly to materials that should be discarded because `someone may request the item the current edition addresses these concerns and incorporates suggestions offered by practicing librarians in public academic and school libraries during workshops conducted by the author and from various crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 6 of 93

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discussion lists the support and input of these librarians you know who you are is greatly appreciated and has served to make crew a weeding manual for modern libraries an even richer resource for librarians around the world although it has become easier in many ways for staff in small community libraries to obtain continuing education and training through workshops brought to their area by the texas state library archives commission and regional systems more training is available online and through alternative venues however new staff and volunteers are continually entering the profession and there is an ongoing need for information on how to effectively weed the collection staff and volunteers also must understand why and how materials that have passed their useful life are removed from the collection they also should be able to articulate that understanding to others in the community who may view discarding of books as tantamount to `book burning or wasting tax dollars crew a weeding manual for modern libraries attempts to describe clearly practically and in a step-by-step fashion a now tried-and-true method of carrying out the five processes of `reverse selection inventory collection evaluation collection maintenance weeding and discarding keep in mind that no single process will serve the needs of all libraries crew a weeding manual for modern libraries offers guidelines and attempts to explain the reasons behind the guidelines but every library should consider the needs of their particular community and adjust the guidelines accordingly for example if budgets are quite tight and expected to be tight for many years it may be necessary to lengthen the age factors a bit in favor of removing only books that are in poor condition crew continues to caution however that lack of funds to replace outdated or worn items is never an excuse for not weeding any extensive weeding will enhance the value of the collection so librarians are urged to use professional judgment at all times i also welcome questions and feedback about situations that may not appear to be served by crew and your best practices jeanette larson email larsonlibrary@yahoo.com austin tx crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 7 of 93

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acknowledgements much of crew a weeding manual for modern libraries is based on the work of belinda boon a former staff member at the texas state library archives commission but more importantly a colleague and friend i also wish to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to everyone who played a part in the revision process and especially to alice nixon south texas library system corpus christi tx anne felix grand prairie public library system grand prairie tx diane harmon joliet public library joliet il jim smith alabama public library service montgomery al john sandstrom el paso public library el paso tx julie todaro austin community college austin tx laurie mahaffey central texas library system austin tx lisa mccoll montgomery county community college blue bell pa mary stanton houston public library houston tx michele gorman public library of charlotte mecklenburg county nc crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 8 of 93

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before we start the process library work is an intricate mix of programs services and materials it is important to recognize that weeding is but one part of the collection development process which in turn is a part of the totality of work that we do to make the library an important part of the community the library s collection is the most tangible part of any library s service the basis of the library s collection as well as how it is developed and maintained rests within its mission and the service priorities it has established through a formal or informal planning process many libraries use the public library association s pla planning process and at least to some extent subscribe to that process s concept of `service responses although the names of the service responses advanced by pla were revised in 2007 the concepts behind those labels remain very similar to the older ones that may be more familiar to library staff whether the library describes one of its primary service responses as `get facts fast the new label or the older `general information the materials in the collection will need to support the services and needs that go into the service priority a library that strives to provide current reading resources and general information must have a collection that is up-to-date and easy to use good library management principles begin with a planning process and an analysis of the needs of the community being served by the library whether you use a process like the public library association s planning for results1 or another planning process knowing where the library is and where you want it to go is the first step in weeding even if you do not have a formal planning process it is likely that you have some idea of what the community wants from the library and know what you need to do to accomplish that mission as you make decisions about the budget look for additional sources of funds such as grants and gifts and select material to add to the collection you must also keep in mind what is already in the collection and perhaps of equal or greater importance what needs to be culled from the collection as good library managers we have a responsibility to maintain a collection that is free from outdated obsolete shabby or no longer useful items it s a little like newton s third law of motion for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction for every item we put on the library shelves we should at least be considering whether there are items that need to be removed many of us work in libraries because we love books and information we may need to overcome our own sentiments that hold us back from weeding in too many libraries collection development is actually based on the book as an object public libraries should not be in the business of accumulating physical objects the purpose the new planning for results http www.elearnlibraries.com/courses/the_new_planning_for_results/index.html crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission 1 page 9 of 93

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should be to provide the content that is needed and used by the public 2 even if we understand that it is the information contained within the book that is important we may have to address concerns and excuses presented by others who insist that we hold on to every item in the collection however if you look at the place of the collection within the library s mission and how a poorly maintained collection negatively impacts the ability to meet that mission it should become clear that weeding is an important part of the process although they should be broadened to include all types of materials keep in mind ranganathan s five laws of library science3 1 2 3 4 5 books are for use every reader his book every book its reader save the time of the reader a library is a growing organism the cycle of service where crew fits in collection development is clearly an important part of library service it can be easy however to view only one or two parts of the process focusing only on getting materials into the collection or getting them into the hands of our patrons the diagram below represents the flow of both direct and indirect library services it is circular because each process leads to the next and involves ongoing routines procedures and practices that continuously add to remove from evaluate and adjust the collection to fit the current and future needs of the library s users and potential users sa is the selection usually through reading reviews perusing catalogs and considering patron requests and the acquisition ordering and paying for of the library s materials cp is the cataloging including classification and processing property stamping bar coding entering into the online catalog etc of the same materials cr is the circulation and reference step in which the prepared materials are out on the shelves being used both in-house and through borrowing by patrons and the reference staff 2 commentary on weeding library administrator s digest feb 1999 findarticles.com 13 may 2008 http findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3858/is_199902/ai_n8843523 3 ranganathan shiyali ramamrita the five laws of library science asia pub house 1963 crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 10 of 93

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the method called crew continuous review evaluation and weeding integrates all the processes into one smooth streamlined and ongoing routine that assures that all the necessary indirect services are accomplished in an effective way this method makes it easier to routinely remove outdated and unused materials from the collection while also learning where the collection has gaps or needs new items immediately after entering circulation and reference cr use the library materials enter the crew processes of inventory and maintenance every item has a useful life cycle often a new item will be very popular at first circulating frequently in a short period of time then the item may sit on the shelf going out only occasionally eventually in many cases the item becomes worn the information becomes outdated or is superseded by new information or the topic or the treatment of the topic simply is no longer of interest to many users when through evaluation and the intentional process of weeding the librarian discovers that the material s useful life is over the item is retired by removal from the collection meanwhile crew is generating information on the current strengths weaknesses gaps and saturation points of the collection that the librarian can use for another round of selection and acquisition sa at each step the library professional uses special knowledge of library science and library materials as well as information about the particular community being served to meet the needs and demands of the library s users and potential users crew is a vital part of good library service a library that does not evaluate weed or discard is like a cart wheel with a fourth of its rim missing see illustration above is your library having a rough ride on such a broken wheel crew to get back on track crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 11 of 93

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why weed why crew why are these crew functions so vital for a dynamic useful community library don t many community libraries do just fine without weeding isn t crew simply a fancy name for throwing away books and impeding a library s growth aren t we censoring when we throw out books that someone might want to read what if we make a mistake if you are asking these questions you are not the first librarian to do so crew addresses these concerns and others but let us focus first on the benefits that are derived when you have a well-weeded collection the six benefits of weeding there are six major benefits of weeding the collection 1 you save space shelf space costs money in a variety of ways not the least of which is the actual cost to buy additional shelving to house more and more materials a well-maintained collection saves the cost of dusting books that no one is using and of shifting materials to make room for more items patrons lose patience trying to find items that are crammed onto overcrowded shelves the library staff will not need to fill the bottom shelves or pile books on top of the stacks and the library will be more attractive and easier to use good practice says that shelves should never be more than 85 full and 75 is even better in addition retaining unused material takes up shelf space that could be used to display recent items the online catalog uses database space that may precipitate the need for more computer memory not having to add more shelving ranges may even allow the library to provide or retain space for tables and chairs for in-house study or for additional computers weeding allows you to maintain the open friendly appearance that is the hallmark of a good community library 2 you save the time of patrons staff and best of all yourself shelves crowded with ragged books with illegible markings cost time patrons looking for a particular book have to sort through items that are clearly not of use or that they don t want to touch staff trying to shelve returned items has to shift and reshift books to make space the librarian trying to use the collection for reference or reader s advisory services must peruse outdated items to find the correct current information an excess of citations from the online catalog that lead to outdated or unusable materials slows searching and frustrates users library housekeeping from dusting to shifting sections is impeded and made more backbreaking by an overload of useless books and other materials 3 you make the collection more appealing by replacing ragged smudged books and unattractive rebinds with attractive new books even perennial favorites and classics benefit from being replaced by clean copies with updated covers circulation can be increased by simply making the shelves look more attractive and user-friendly even if there are actually fewer crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 12 of 93

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books it is better to have fresh air and empty space on the shelves than to have musty old books that discourage investigation many libraries report that patrons assumed they had purchased a lot of new books when all that was done was to weed vigorously 4 you will enhance your library s reputation for reliability and currency and build public trust patrons expect that library materials are selected by experts and that the information is up-to-date and reliable for many users especially younger people the mere fact that a book is in the library lends authority to it a section of astronomy books that include many pre-hubble space exploration books or books that include pluto as a planet create a credibility gap of astronomical dimensions nothing will discourage a student as much as writing a paper based on research performed with library materials that provided obsolete or erroneous information the public counts on the library providing accurate information patrons quickly decide that the library has `nothing of value if they sort through a lot of outdated material 5 you will keep up with collection needs because the crew method provides a continuous check on the need for mending or binding alerts the library staff to lost or stolen books in need of replacement and guarantees a more accurate volume count this process also allows for both on-going weeding where shabby items superseded items or unused items can be removed almost without effort and scheduled weeding where you look at specific areas of the collection on a regular basis library staff that weed continuously have greater knowledge of the collection 6 you have constant feedback on the collection s strengths and weaknesses this information can be helpful when soliciting donations and making decisions about purchases for example knowing that the business books are out-of-date the librarian can approach an organized group or an individual and request specific assistance in building an area of special interest and usefulness to them crew keeps the present shape of the collection clearly in mind and helps in planning future directions for it crew helps the librarian see the cohesion of every task performed in the library and the purpose of every task in relation to the patrons and the collection these advantages of weeding and in particular of using crew point out the truth of the old adage less is more how much do i weed and when the crew method calls for systematic and continuous weeding of the collection but what do these terms mean staff may think that it is not possible to weed a little bit every day but in fact with a little practice that is exactly what we can do if staff and volunteers are trained to look for shabby and outdated items these materials can be pulled for review by the appropriate person on a weekly basis reports can be generated from the online catalog on a quarterly basis to identify items that are `shelf crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 13 of 93

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sitters and haven t circulated within a reasonable period of time volunteers can do a lot even if they only spend an hour a week looking for these items as well as identifying duplicates that may no longer be needed monthly targets should be established for looking at specific areas of the collection and intentionally weeding a small area it s not enough to weed every couple of years or only when space is getting tight a vital viable library collection is reviewed on an on-going basis texas public library standards 4 includes goals for collection age and frequency of weeding the entire collection regardless of size the entire collection should be reviewed and weeded if necessary at least once every five years but how much is enough can we weed too much that is a question that has to be answered locally in general you should weed about the same amount as you are adding to the collection unless you are in a developing mode such as when a library first opens or has expanded your available shelf space establishes the upper parameter of the collection size and every item in the collection should be useful to the community being served once the collection has matured it will remain fairly stable until something changes such as adding on to the building a rule of thumb held by many library professionals is that about 5 of the collection be weeded every year.5 this allows for turnover of the collection every twenty years while this doesn t literally mean that no book that exists in the collection in the year 2000 will still be there in 2020 even classic literature and perennially useful materials will generally become worn and tattered after twenty years of use and need to be replaced with a fresh copy more important than raw numbers however is the librarian s commitment to making weeding part of the regular duties and responsibilities that are addressed every week before you weed materials selection and deselection are similar activities first they are both necessary parts in an effective collection development program and second both require the same type of decision-making criteria the same factors that lead to the decision to add an item can also lead to a decision to remove that item sometime later before implementing any kind of weeding plan carefully evaluate the library s collection development policy and goals for the collection if you don t have a collection development policy or it is outdated and has not been reviewed in recent memory now is the time to rectify that situation goals are based on the roles that the library plays in the community and the service responses or priorities that have been selected for the library although the mission of the library may remain constant over a long period the goals may change from time to time the mission goals and 4 texas library association texas public library standards 2004 http www.tsl.state.tx.us/plstandards 5 slote stanley j weeding library collections libraries unlimited 1997 p 14 crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 14 of 93

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selection policy help to determine the weeding policy with these factors in mind a collection-centered evaluation will give a better idea of what the collection consists of and identify specific classes of materials that offer likely candidates for weeding the collection development policy also sometimes called the materials selection policy should provide criteria to follow for depth coverage and selection of the overall collection the scope of the policy should be broad enough to include all of the materials in the collection and may include subsections such as reference nonprint juvenile large print and adult the policy should specify how gifts will be handled and indicate when and how to retire outdated materials it should also list appropriate means of disposal when developing or revising a collection development policy keep in mind that the individual needs of the library and its users must be considered in making all policy decisions while it is appropriate to review collection development policies developed for other libraries it is not acceptable to simply adopt another library s policy as your own a quick internet search will provide many examples and books including the public library policy writer a guidebook with model policies on cd-rom by jeanette larson and herman l totten offer assistance in the development of a collection development policy criteria for weeding several factors must be considered during the weeding process these factors include · · · · · · · · · · the library s selected service responses and resultant goals the needs and demands of the library s community of users the availability of more suitable material the ability of the budget to provide funds to purchase more satisfactory items the relationship of a particular item to others on that subject cooperative agreements with other libraries and the ability for patrons to use other libraries in the area the degree to which the library serves as an archive or local history center the possible future usefulness of a particular item the availability of more current information on the internet the ability of the library to borrow the item through interlibrary loan during the weeding process you may also wish to check the library s holdings against any centralized databases union catalogs to which the library belongs it may be easier to weed titles that are not circulating if they can be easily obtained from another library through interlibrary loan also consult standard bibliographic aids when evaluating the quality of a particular item if you are uncertain about its value to your collection see the bibliography for a list of standard collection aids as well as subject specific guides that may help you make decisions crew a weeding manual for modern libraries http www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew texas state library and archives commission page 15 of 93

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