The purpose of the Weeding Policy is to provide guidelines to enable staff members to work with greater consistency in the process of removing (discarding) materials from the library’s collection.

Weeding Policy Statement

Systematic removal of materials is necessary in order to maintain a current, accurate and inviting collection.  Discarding materials from the Library’s collection is selection in reverse; thus, many of the same criteria in the Collection Development Policy are used for evaluation.  Additional criteria include: insufficient use, worn or irreparable condition, misleading or obsolete information, space availability and altered collection emphases. Decisions concerning which materials are weeded will be at the discretion of the Director. The Sanilac District Library will maintain a vigorous weeding program in order to sustain a vital collection.  Materials which no longer meet the goals of the Collection Development Policy will be discarded.  Disposition of library materials so weeded will be at the discretion of the Director.

Choosing materials for discarding shall be considered part of the selection and evaluating process. Just as materials added to the library’s collection are expected to be useful for the people in the community which is served by the library, so they should be withdrawn if they cease to serve the collection for the following reasons:

1.     Worn out because of use or damaged beyond repair.

2.     No longer accurate or factual

3.     Excess copies of a title no longer in demand

4.     Ephemeral material that is no longer timely and that is little used.

5.     Not circulated for several years.

Efforts will be made to replace materials discarded for reasons 1 & 2 either with another copy of the same title or another more current title on the same subject.  Materials discarded for reasons 3, 4 and 5 will be withdrawn from the collection.

Purpose of Weeding

Weeding improves the appearance and currency of the collection, increases circulation, makes more efficient use of space, provides constant feedback on the collection’s strengths and weaknesses and increases accessibility of the remaining materials.  Weeding should be done to accomplish the following goals:

1.     To utilize in the most efficient way available space in the library.

2.     To keep the collection up to date.

3.     To find books which need repair or replacement.

4.     To give the library a fresh, inviting appearance.

Weeding Criteria

·      Condition and Replacement: Materials that are moldy, mildewed, worn, shabby, yellowed, marked, have an unpleasant odor or are otherwise damaged will be discarded.  If poor condition is due to heavy use, the item may be considered for replacement.

·      Circulation Patterns: Frequency of circulation of an item is an important consideration in determining its retention.  Exceptions to the C.R.E.W. method include items of seasonal interest, local history and materials considered classic.

·      Duplication and Age: Multiple copies purchased to meet popular demand should be discarded when heavy duplication is no longer necessary.  Superseded editions should be discarded unless there is a specific reason for their retention, such as: reference items relocated to the circulating collection.

·      Library Roles: Materials will also be reviewed in terms of their value in meeting the roles identified in the Mission Statement and Five Year Plan.

·      Space Constraints: The degree of necessary weeding may differ based on the space limitations.

 Administrative Guidelines

Evaluating and Weeding Collections in Small Libraries:

The C.R.E.W. (Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding) Method by Joseph P. Segal is established as an authority on this subject by the American Library Association and will be used by the Director.  C.R.E.W. keeps the current collection clearly in mind and helps in planning future directions for it.  In addition to C.R.E.W., which covers all areas of the library collection, the following concepts are to be considered:

·      Automation: The library will employ the use of the automated system to assist in the weeding process.  For example, a list of books not circulated during a specific time frame may be generated by the system.

·      Bindery: Rebinding should be considered as an alternative to discarding a worn or damaged book.  In some cases, notably out‑of‑print titles and local history, rebinding is the best option.

·      Repair: Minor damage discovered during the weeding process should be given to the appropriate staff member for repairs.  Audiovisual materials are only occasionally repairable and usually must be replaced.

Disposal of Weeded Materials:

·      Recycle: Donate materials to schools, charitable institutions or other libraries.

·      Sell:  Still usable materials will be offered to the public at a book sale. Some materials may be sold on E-Bay if a reasonable profit is expected.

·      Disposal:  Disposal should be reserved for materials in irreparable condition and when there is no other option. Due to lack of storage space, if materials cannot be sold or given away there is no other alternative, but to dispose of the material.