This document provides guidance on weeding library collections through a series of tips and examples. It emphasizes that weeding is a necessary part of collection management to help the library meet its mission by focusing on relevant, useful content. Continuous and ongoing weeding is recommended by setting up automated reports and walking stacks regularly. Examples of books that could be considered for weeding include outdated nonfiction, books in poor condition, and books that receive little to no circulation. Care must be taken to avoid censorship and address public concerns over weeding.

1. Weed ‘Em and Weep
Holly Hibner and Mary Kelly
awfullibrarybooks.net

2. Does your collection
help meet your mission?

3. Are you proud
of your
collection?

4. Collection Life Cycle

5. "A good library is like a good haircut.
It’s not what you cut – it’s what you leave".
Anne Felix, Grand Prairie (TX) Public Library System
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/crewmethod08.pdf

6. Libraries are not in the business of collecting “things,” but
providing content and access to content.

7. ...But the public doesn't "get" it!

8. Avoid the weeding frenzy

9. Case #1: San Francisco 1996
http://articles.latimes.com/1996-09-03/news/ls-40094_1_san-francisco-public-library

10. What are
people
supposed to
think?

11. Ongoing &
Continuous
Make collection management
part of your daily, weekly, or
monthly routines.

12. How to Weed Continuously
SET UP
AUTOMATED
REPORTS IN
YOUR ILS
USE THE HELP
AVAILABLE TO
YOU
GIVE SOME
ITEMS
ANOTHER
CHANCE
WALK THE
STACKS

13. ...But it's
historical!

14. ...But
someone
might
need it!

15. ...But I don't have time

16. Getting
Fired
Tarrant
1974

17. Kiplinger’s Sure Ways
to Cut Your Taxes
McCormally
1991

18. Rites of Passage at
$100,000+
Lucht

19. …But it’s in
good shape

20. ...But it was an award winner

21. ...But we won't have anything left!

22. …But there’s so much to
weed!

23. Case #2: Berkeley Public Library 2015
http://www.contracostatimes.com/breaking-news/ci_28446633/berkeley-library-discard-process-criticized

25. Weeding
Made Easy
Step 2:
Condition

26. Weeding Made Easy
Step 3: Stupid

27. Weeding Made Easy
Step 4: Reports
Reports are not a substitution
for physically interacting with
the collection.

28. Censorship vs. Weeding

29. Formal Challenges

30. Everything is Connected

31. Be Bold with Bananas
Banana Control Board
1970

33. Atomic Bombing
Davis, Ed
1950

36. How to Live in Your Van and Love It
Poteet
1976

37. Hotline: The Letters I Get…and Write!
Reynolds
1972

38. The Computer from A to Z
Kalman
1999

39. Love in Suburbia
Conway
1964

40. Fashion Cats
Iwasa
2011

42. @awfullibbooks
submit@awfullibrarybooks.net
awfullibrarybooks.net
Thank you!