Library Policies
Weeding
Library Board policy as of March 14, 1990. Revised February 8, 1995; May 12, 1999; February 14, 2001.
Policies > Weeding
- Professional weeding practices are essential to the maintenance of a good library collection. The collection should be evaluated and weeded continuously by the Library Director and staff, using professional guides (i.e. Children’s Catalog, Public Library Catalog, Fiction Catalog, etc.) keeping in mind the needs of the community.
- The following guidelines are used in discarding (removing) from the collection:
- Books that are not included in a current professional guide.
- Books that have a local historical or literary interest will be retained, and may be moved to the Local History Room.
- Books that contain incorrect or obsolete data should be discarded.
- Books that contain material that is racial or unethical shall be discarded. Books should not be discarded because of an author’s religious or political views.
- Books that are badly soiled or damaged (i.e. torn pages, frayed bindings, etc.) should be discarded.
- Duplicate copies that are no longer in demand should be discarded.
- Books that have not circulated for five years or more.
- All adult periodicals maybe kept from 1-5 years or indefinitely according to professional criteria and general library usage. The availability of full text articles in computer databases may be used in determining the length of time back issues are retained.
- Children’s periodicals are kept two years, unless catalogued.
- Pamphlet and vertical files should be weeded annually.
- The Library Director, and staff, should use procedural guides (such as Evaluating and Weeding Collections in Small and Medium-sized Public Libraries, The Crew Method, or American Library Association guidelines).
- Periodically the Library Director and staff shall review the entire library collection.
- Any items weeded from the collection will either be trashed, or, if appropriate, given to the Friends of the Library book sale.