4.+Weeding+Project+and+Report

=Weeding Project and Report=

Keeping in mind that the community for our school is not wealthy, I can assume that many students do not have access to current scientific reading materials at home. The role of the library is to make sure that our students have access to types of materials that will support their learning and peak their interest in the content area. If books are out of date, dirty, broken etc, then students will not check out the books. Additionally, the library's role to support the curriculum needs to be taken seriously, especially considering the total lack of search-ability and correlation of the data base to key words in the curriculum. Before attempting to add key words to the MARC records, it is important to ensure that all resources are current and useful. It would be no point entering subject words and then discarding the books. I want to make sure that our time finding key words is spent on good quality resources that will be used by students.

=Step 1: Policies= Our school has no policies on weeding or collection development. Any books that are removed from the system are sent to recycling. I was surprised the other day when the principal allowed me to send old novels to a book give away at a local elementary school. Without a set of clear guidelines, I have always double checked before I do anything that might have repercussions.

Our district has no district librarian, and thus no policies in place to guide weeding, purchasing etc. In fact our DRC has not been weeded for over ten years, which is creating problems. Although the Ministry of Education, via //Evaluating, Selecting and Managing Learning Resources: A Guide//, recommends that "districts may wish to develop regulations or policies to deal with disposal of weeded learning resources"(95) non exist.

=Step 2: Collection Evaluation= See Collection Evaluation for data on the 500 area of the library. I am only able to search general Science Fiction, so cannot look for subject areas that align, as yet. One of my collection goals is to have student helpers review the information on various Science Fiction novels, and other novels, to see where we can add subjects for ease of searching. As far as the FIC collection goes, we have twice as many novels as recommended (see collection analysis), and older novels have been discarded, unless they are classics. No DVD/VCR type resources exist in this collection. As a final step before weeding, while working with two science teachers pulling books for their classroom units, we chatted about which areas are most out of date and are in need of renewal. Their biggest concern is to throw out books without a plan for replacing that content. Since they know I have $2000 left to spend to revamp this area, they are not worried about outdated books being discarded.

=Step 3: Weeding Process= Knowing that much of the collection is time sensitive, and how I already have stickers on books older than 1979, I started with these books first. I then moved to books with multiple copies, then books that are "thick" and text heavy. Books that are falling apart are difficult to find as I did a major weeding last year of these types of books when we marked all the 1979 and older books. The weeding time for my library is considered by Bishop as "continuous [and] intermittent" (p. 121), as there are no times when the library is shut down except vacations.

=Step 4: Consider authority on what to weed= Kay Bishop (p. 121) lists a variety of reasons to discard a book from a collection. 1. "Poor Physical Condition" 2. "Unattractive appearance" 3. "Poor circulation record" 4. "Old copyright date, with outdated or inaccurate information" 5. "Duplicates of titles no longer in demand" 6. "Subject matter unsuitable for users" 7. "Topics no longer of interest" 8. "Biased or stereotypical portrayals" 9. "Inappropriate reading level" 10. "No longer needed because of a change in the curriculum."

The BC Ministry of Education in //Evaluating, Selecting and Managing Learning Resources: A Guide// also provides guidelines (p. 94-95) adds these addtional criteria to the list: 11. "Is the item relevant to the instructional programs (grade level, IRP match) and easy to access? Has the title been withdrawn by the Ministry?" 12. "Are more suitable media formats available" 13. "Can the item be easily accessed through a public library or agency?" 14. "Is there copyright violation?" 15. "Should the item be retained as archival material and identified accordingly" 16. "Should the item be retained as it is locally developed material wth historical significance?" 17. "Has the automated system been used effectively to print the average age of section os the library, particularly science and technology? "

=Step 5: Pulled and then Discarded Books=

Attached are the PDF files of my discarded books. The first age report shows books that I knew were older than 1979 by my previous categorization last year. The PDF of other books, are those that appeared to be aged etc.





Although I was happy with the books discarded and the improved look on the shelves, I was surprised that the subjects listed are not in the curriculum area on which I am focussing. This might have two causes: 1. The accurate subjects are not listed, 2. Teachers have the content area books in their classrooms already. I suppose this could be a weakness in weeding mid-year, although if the books are being actively used, then there isn't a strong reason to discard initially.

=Step 6:Ten Selections and reasons for their removal.= Numbering system correlates to the reasons in Section 4.

Andeson, M. (1978). //Iceberg Alley//. Simon and Schuster: New York. -stinks (1) -not checked out since 1985 (3) -sexist language "men who track the ice" I guess women don't! (8) -ice in places where it's gone now! (4) -no mention of global warming or melting ice (4) -more current usable formats available online (12)

Bold, H. (1961, revised 1977). //The Plant Kingdom (4th Ed.)// The Plant Kingdom. Prentice Hall: Ontario. -appears to be an old school text book that was catalogued (10). -this copy is falling apart (1) -cover is ripped (1) -spine is broken (1) -has not been checked out since 2001 (3) -additional copy available (5) -more current usable formats available online (12)

Cereijido, M. & Rotunno, C. (1970). //Introduction to the study of biological membranes//. Gordon and Breach: New York. - taped dust cover (2) -weak spine (1) -heavy, dense texts (9) -only black and white illustrations (2) -appears to have been a university level text book. (9) -has never been checked out (3)

Ehrlich, P. et al. (1984). //The Cold and The Dark: The World after Nuclear War//. Stoddart: Ontario. -has never been checked out (3) -topic is not timely (4) -dense text (9) -no illustrations (2)

Facklam, H. & Facklam, M. (1986). //Changes in the Wind: Earth's Shifting Climate//. Harcourt: New York. -aged topic (4) -no current data on climate change (4) -no information on current theories or changes in theories (4) -has not been checked out since 1998 (3) -more current usable formats available online (12)

Hahn, E. (1978). //Look Who's Talking//! Crowell: New York. -has never been checked out. (3) -dense text (9) -pictures age the book (2) -smells (1)

Hancock, D. et al. (1974) //Pacific Wilderness//. Hancock: Canada. -when I turned the page to type the biliographic entry, the first few pages fell out. (1) -has not been checked out since 1977 (3) -paper is browned over time (2)

Kozloff, E. (1973). //Seashore Life of Puget Sound, the Straight of Georgia, and the San Juan Achipelago.// University of Washington: USA. -not checked out since 1978 (3) -spine is broken, (1) -pages are torn (1) -cover is shredding (2)

Lutz, F. (1919, revised 1948). //Field Book of Insects (3rd Ed.)// Putnam: New York. -we have numerous field guides to insects (5) -the color of the cover is faded and worn (1) -the inner cloth cover of the book is shredding (1) -last taken out in 1998 (3) -more current usable formats available online (12)

Soper, J & Szczawinski (1976). //Mount Revelstoke National Park: Wild Flowers//. National Museum of Canada: Ottawa. -two copies in library (5) -this copy is water stained and wrinkled (1) -it has never been taken out (3)

Vogt, G. (1983). //The Space Shuttle//. Franklin Watts: New York. -a book about the space shuttle that doesn't even include the Canada Arm! (4) -mentions no female astronauts (8) -photographs look like they were taken in the 1950's. (2) -dust jacket is taped on (1) -last taken out in 1985 (3)

=Step 7: Discard the books according to your school or district policies.= Books have been removed from the data base, stamped DISCARDED, Barcodes blacked out. They were on a rack in the staff room for teachers to take if they would like, and are now boxed up, taped shut and will be removed by district maintenance staff.

=Step 8: Reflection=

I have to agree with Bishop when she states "psychologically one of the most difficult tasks of a beginning media specialist is weeding a collection" (p. 124). I would have had a greater amount of difficulty with this project last year. When I first started as a librarian, the thought of throwing away books was appalling. Once I started spending thousands of dollars on books, I was quick to realize that I needed to create "more space" (p. 124). I also needed to realize that the library is not a storage facility; it is a living, breathing place where the resources need to be used in order to be worthwhile.

When I look at some of the old books, I shake my head that they have never been checked out in their life at the school. I wonder who picked these books and why did they not correlate to anything that was happening in the school. I noticed over the past year and a half, that students will voluntarily take out books that are colorful and have a variety of facts in them. Where I might have taken out a full text book on a topic, these days students are less likely to peruse a subject index to find out if the book has what they want. I think that in the thirty year history of some of the books in the library, reading skills have deteriorated, but more importantly, our expectations of what makes a good resource have increased exponentially.

Last year, with the help of substitute teachers who had free blocks, we marked all the 1979 and older books with stickers. Since then, these books have been my first target when I pull books. I can also tell, when checking books in and out, if any of these books are being utilized. I know that rarely, if ever, do those old books go out. Last year, I discarded well over 2000 books, and did find that I had "created a more attractive collection and a [more] orderly, neat environment" (p. 125). Both students and staff commented on how much better the library looked, and I think I noticed much less of a smell!

As a result of my hardened heart and my understanding of what materials are being used in the library, I was able to weed quite quickly and easily, without too much heart ache. I did have a few second thoughts after I deleted the books from the data base, which is why they ended up in the staff room. If any science teachers really want to keep that optics book, they can have them. After a week in the staff room, the books were boxed up for recycling. Not one person mentioned the books, or what I was up to, as they are used to the system. The staff and students are happy to have newer, cleaner, and more up to date resources to use.

I pulled the fifty books fairly quickly, and then went to the text to find the criteria. I was happy that my choices met the criteria. I remembered the Ministry of Education documents, and looked at their list. I was surprised by how different their list is, but realized I could throw away much more if I used their list alone. I was happy that my choices, based on my knowledge and understanding of my clients, fit with the "official" criteria in the texts.

I really like Bishop's suggestion to use the "book slip method"(p. 125) which is similar to my sticker method. The advantage of Bishop's idea is that staff or students can remove the tag if they deem the book worthy of keeping. As it stands now, once the age sticker is on the book, it is marked for life and potential discard, with no chance of saving! The book slip method would also give staff a more flexible opportunity to peruse the collection, whereas now, I ask them to come to the library to "help" on my schedule.

In conclusion, I still have not brought myself to weed the animal section of the library, although, with the exception of pets, cats, dogs, horses etc, few of those books are checked out. Maybe next year my weeding skin will be a little harder, and I can attack that area with zeal! I would imagine that my feeder librarians would like these books, and that might just be the last push to get those books off the shelves! I also plan on downloading all the classics in digital form, cataloguing them, and then discarding all my disgusting classics. As long as I have them available somewhere, I'm happy to make room for more well used resources.

March 6