Awful Library Books Wayne State University Library and Information Science Program** Progressive Librarians Guild **(Where Mary and Holly became the obsessed librarians they are today!)

What is Awful Library Books? www.awfullibrarybooks.info Daily blog of the worst of library collections

www.awfullibrarybooks.info

Daily blog of the worst of library collections

How did it start? In a room just like the one pictured below… (with people dressed just like this, too…)

In a room just like the one pictured below…

(with people dressed just like this, too…)

What hardware/software is used? WordPress Domain purchased from GoDaddy Scanner Photo editor Twitter Facebook Gmail

WordPress

Domain purchased from GoDaddy

Scanner

Photo editor

Twitter

Facebook

Gmail

Who are your readers? Librarians of all kinds Book lovers Lay people You fine folks? This guy? Probably!** **www.peopleofwalmart.com

Librarians of all kinds

Book lovers

Lay people

You fine folks?

What Do You Post? Old, dated Stupid Esoteric Obscure Bad art work

Old, dated

Stupid

Esoteric

Obscure

Bad art work

What are your favorite posts? Hangin’ Out: The Upside Down Exercise Book By Ira Jay and Suki Rappaport 1983 Nice short shorts, Borat!

Hangin’ Out: The Upside Down Exercise Book

By Ira Jay and Suki Rappaport

1983

What are your favorite posts? A History of the Umbrella By T. S. Crawford 1970 “ What we really need is a book about umbrellas!”

A History of the Umbrella

By T. S. Crawford

1970

What are your favorite posts? Dee Snider’s Teenage Survival Guide Dee Snider 1987 I was sooo cool in the 80’s!

Dee Snider’s Teenage Survival Guide

Dee Snider

1987

What are your favorite posts? A Passion for Donkeys By Elizabeth Svendsen 1988 ‘ Cuz everyone should be passionate about something !

A Passion for Donkeys

By Elizabeth Svendsen

1988

What are your favorite posts? When Children Invite Child Abuse By Svea Gold 1986 Hope the author fired her agent. Who’s brilliant idea was this for a title?

When Children Invite Child Abuse

By Svea Gold

1986

What are your favorite posts? Milady’s For Men Only By Cotter 1994

Milady’s For Men Only

By Cotter

1994

What To Do When the Russians Come: A Survivor’s Guide By Robert Conquest 1985 What are your favorite posts?

What To Do When the Russians Come: A Survivor’s Guide

By Robert Conquest

1985

Wax in Our World Solveig Paulson Russell 1966 What are your favorite posts?

Wax in Our World

Solveig Paulson Russell

1966

Where do the books come from? Shhh! It’s a secret! Mostly submissions All posted anonymously Around the world Inter Library Loan MelCat Rules!!

Shhh! It’s a secret!

Mostly submissions

All posted anonymously

Around the world

Inter Library Loan

MelCat Rules!!

Is there a serious message? Collection quality Library Mission Collection management policy Currency, authority, relevancy Collections evolve Weed!

Collection quality

Library Mission

Collection management policy

Currency, authority, relevancy

Collections evolve

What Everyone Should Know about the Breast Cancer Controversy By George Crile 1973 Is there a serious message?

What Everyone Should Know about the Breast Cancer Controversy

By George Crile

1973

How to Get Out of Debt Ted Nichols 1976 Is there a serious message?

How to Get Out of Debt

Ted Nichols

1976

It’s Your Future! By Catalyst Staff 1984 Is there a serious message?

It’s Your Future!

By Catalyst Staff

1984

What To Do About Your Brain-Injured child By Glenn Doman 1974 Is there a serious message?

What To Do About Your Brain-Injured child

By Glenn Doman

1974

What are some ways to ensure a quality collection? Collection management policy Defines the OBJECTIVE Identifies your service population/customers Gives general criteria

Collection management policy

Defines the OBJECTIVE

Identifies your service population/customers

Gives general criteria

What are some ways to ensure a quality collection? Audit Library Processes and Workflows Note how/when collection decisions made Perform an ON-GOING physical inventory Periodic changes in collection responsibilities

Audit Library Processes and Workflows

Note how/when collection decisions made

Perform an ON-GOING physical inventory

Periodic changes in collection responsibilities

What are some ways to ensure a quality collection? Awareness Weeding Read our book! Coming ~ 2010

Awareness

Weeding

Read our book!

Coming ~ 2010

How do librarians make selections? Review sources Pop culture: Oprah, Entertainment Weekly Vendor bulletins Suggestions from library users Collection management team Selection assignments

Review sources

Pop culture: Oprah, Entertainment Weekly

Vendor bulletins

Suggestions from library users

Collection management team

Selection assignments

What if I make a bad choice? You’ll end up on ALB! You’ll learn from your mistakes Track usage You’ll find better review sources THIS guy made a bad choice! www.peopleofwalmart.com

You’ll end up on ALB!

You’ll learn from your mistakes

Track usage

You’ll find better review sources

… But my boss won’t let me weed! Sigh… Have a plan What collection to start with What to do with them Money for the library? Make a case Budget reports Circulation reports Space concerns

Sigh…

Have a plan

What collection to start with

What to do with them

Money for the library?

Make a case

Budget reports

Circulation reports

Space concerns

Preview to upcoming posts Coming soon to ALB…

Coming soon to ALB…

Elvis People by Ted Harrison

Dating for Under a Dollar by Blair Tolman

Some of Our Favorite Library Science Posts This is what you have to look forward to in your career!

This is what you have to look forward to in your career!

Careers in a Library Graduation Advice from Holly & Mary

Graduation Advice from Holly & Mary

More Library Career Opportunities I Want to Be a Librarian Greene 1960

I Want to Be a Librarian

Greene

1960

Romance in the stacks! Jinny Williams Library Assistant Temkin 1967

Jinny Williams Library Assistant

Temkin

1967

Cutting Edge Library Science! Opportunities in Library and Information Science Helm and Sullivan 1986

Opportunities in Library and Information Science

Helm and Sullivan

1986

Can YOU be a librarian? I Can Be A Librarian Green 1988

I Can Be A Librarian

Green

1988

Go Libraries! Holly Hibner Adult Services Coordinator Plymouth District Library [email_address] http://hhibner.blogspot.com Mary Kelly Reference Librarian Salem-South Lyon District Library [email_address] http://practicallibrarian.blogspot.com

Holly Hibner

Adult Services Coordinator

Plymouth District Library

[email_address]

http://hhibner.blogspot.com