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Weeding the Fiction Collection: Should I Dump Peyton Place?
Page Modified: April 2, 2008
RUSA Collection Development and Evaluation
Section:
Readers Advisory Committee & Collection Development Policies
Committee Program
Weeding the Fiction Collection: Should
I Dump Peyton Place?
Bibliography|Policies|Articles|Skit Script
Weeding the Fiction Collection - Merle Jacob
This web page was designed to be used with CODES/Collection Development and Evaluation Section Readers' Advisory Committee's program "Weeding the Fiction Collection: Should I Dump Peyton Place?" - How do you decide what to keep and what to withdraw from your fiction collection. This program was held at the American Library Association's 2000 Annual Conference in Chicago.
CODES is a part of the American Library Association's Reference and User Services Association. This web page was prepared by Ann Chambers Theis and Vicki L. Nesting, members of the CODES/Readers' Advisory Committee, Muzette Diefenthal, Chair.
WEEDING THE FICTION COLLECTION: SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Prepared by Vicki L. Nesting
Print Resources General Weeding Guidelines & Commentary
Boon, Belinda. The CREW Method: Expanded Guidelines for Collection Evaluation and Weeding for Small and Medium-Sized Public Libraries. Revised and updated. Austin: Texas State Library, 1995.
Cassell, Marianne K. and Grace W. Greene. Collection Development in the Small Library. Chicago: American Library Association, 1991.
Roy, Loriene. "Does Weeding Increase Circulation? A Review of the Related Literature." Collection Management 10, no. 1-2 (1988): 141-156.
-----. "An Investigation of the Use of Weeding and Displays as Methods to Increase the Stock Turnover Rate in Small Public Libraries." Illinois Library Statistical Report 24. Illinois State Library, 1987: 28-69.
-----. "Weeding Without Tears: Objective and Subjective Criteria Used in Identifying Books to be Weeded in Public Library Collections." Collection Management 12, no. 1-2 (1990): 83-93.
Segal, Joseph P. Evaluating and Weeding Collections in Small and Medium-sized Public Libraries: The Crew Method. Chicago: American Library Association, 1980.
Slote, Stanley J. Weeding Library Collections. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1997.
Evaluating and Weeding Fiction: Guidelines & Commentary
Baker, Sharon L. "Quality and Demand: The Basis for Fiction Collection Assessment." Collection Building 13, no. 2-3 (1994): 65-68.
------. The Responsive Public Library Collection: How to Develop and Market It. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, 1993: 167-232.
Davis, Burns. "Designing a Fiction Assessment Tool: The Customer Service Approach." Collection Building 13, no. 2-3 (1994): 69-82.
Futas, Elizabeth. "Collection Development of Genre Literature." Collection Building 12, no. 3-4 (1993): 39-44.
Miles, Margaret A. "Where Have All the Thirkells Gone? A Plea for Less Weeding of Fiction." North Carolina Libraries 52 (Spring 1994): 14.
Senkevitch, Judith and James H. Sweetland. "Evaluating Adult Fiction in the Smaller Public " RQ 34, no. 1 (Fall 1994): 78-89.
-----. "Evaluating Public Library Adult Fiction: Can We Define a Core Collection?" RQ 36, no. 1 (Fall 1996): 103-117.>{ Tuchmayer, Harry. "Why Let the Dust Settle? Weeding Fiction in Public Libraries." North Carolina Libraries 52 (Spring 1994): 15.
Weber, Marietta. "Effects of Fiction Assessment on a Rural Public Library." Collection Building 13, no. 2-3 (1994): 83-86.
Policies
Collection Development in Georgia
Collection Development Policy - CCPL, VA
Williamsburg, VA Regional Library Collection Plan
Excerpts from policies:
ADULT FICTION WEEDING CRITERIA
Consider the following criteria when making discard decisions:1. CONDITION
Discard materials with torn or yellowed pages, markings in the book or faded cover information. Books with good bindings but dirty jackets or illegible spine labels can be sent in to Technical Services for new jackets or labels. A replacement order file should be maintained for titles that are useful but in poor condition.2. AGE
Discard titles which are older than 10 years and not in demand, on reading lists or in standard bibliographies or considered classics. If in doubt about a title, keep it.3. BINDING
Discard books with unattractive or broken bindings.4. DEMAND
Discard or consider for transfer any titles that have not circulated at least one time since being added to the collection. In making this decision, consider content/topic and the relevance of the title to the branch reading population.5. READING LISTS
Consider keeping in the collection or transferring to another branch those titles that are on public school, home school or private school reading lists. Also consider keeping or replacing those titles which are award winners, traditional or modern classics, and titles in a series.6. LAST COPIES
Last copies will be sent to Decatur for possible addition to the Revolving Collection.All weeded materials should be sent to Processing with a PC 199 in each book. Do NOT remove title page or other markings. This will be done after review by Collection Development staff.
MCDPL PROCEDURE Title: COLLECTION EVALUATION PROCEDURES
Section: Collection Development
Date Issues: March 28, 1996BACKGROUND
With the exception of libraries with primarily archival functions, such as the Library of Congress, all libraries evaluate their collections periodically to see what should be retained or discarded. The Montgomery County Department of Public Libraries has always reviewed the collection, and has withdrawn materials which have dated content, have worn out, or have outlived their usefulness. This procedure revises the GUIDELINES FOR COLLECTION EVALUATION (adult Collection - Hirsch, 1979), COLLECTION MAINTENANCE (Children's Collection - Hoke, 1989) and the related internal guidelines developed by coordinators and by branch staff. Review of this procedure is recommended every five years.GOALS OF COLLECTION EVALUATION
The evaluation of the materials already in the library collection is as important to collection management as the selection of new materials. This evaluation is necessary because library collections are not static, because the collection dates quickly in many subject areas, and because the shelf and storage space available in any library is finite and new items are being added continually. The value of an item to collection changes over time for several reasons:1. The information in the book may not longer be accurate.
2. The book's physical condition may have deteriorated.
3. The book may no longer be of interest to the patrons using the library.
4. The book is of such limited use that other collection has higher claim to limited space available.The goals of collection evaluations are:
1. Removal of materials that are dated and inaccurate.
2. Retention, or appropriate relocation, of the collection that is most useful to the public.
3. Improved access to the collection for patrons and staff.
4. Retention of works of historical significance and those works wich contribute to a balanced collection.
5. Data about the health and condition of the collection and for guidance for future collection development.
2. COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION PROJECTS
The Department will undertake a comprehensive collection review of each branch once every 10 years, as a part of renovation projects, or more often if branches deem necessary. Materials will be identified for deselection in accordance with qualitative and systematic quantitative guidelines. Optimum access to useful collection will be maintained given the size and shelving constraints of each library building. Guideline will be identified for each project and an evaluation of the general health of each branch's collection over time will be made, noting its current collection strengths and weaknesses and specific areas of the collection which need revitalization.a. Collection Development will provide staff support to staff teams in branches undertaking comprehensive weeding projects.
b. A Slote circulation study will be conducted to establish circulation criteria for each of these projects. A quantitative criterion for identifying items for possible deselection will be established based on the circulation history (previous use) of each item. The goal of this approach is to keep those items that are likely to circulate to library users in the future. Because the core collection of any library is the books that are circulating, the date criteria for weeding must be arrived at by sampling those books that are circulating rather than those on the shelf. Studies of such collection use patterns confirm that the best predictor of future circulation is past circulation. (See Attachment I for more information on the Slote Method and related procedure.)
c. Reports generated by the circulation system and survey data will also be used to identify use patterns.
d. The results of each project will be reported. This general accounting will include the Slote circulation benchmarks, the number of items discarded for wear and datedness, and the number of items relocated. This data will be used to identify future collection needs.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING INDIVIDUAL BOOKS
1. DATED OR INACCURATE CONTENT
If accuracy has been compromised by newer information the item is a candidate for weeding. In areas of rapid change, such as medicine, no information is better than inaccurate information. Out-of-date titles in rapidly changing areas must be monitored constantly and replaced with titles that are more current. Do not retain out-of-date titles just because there is nothing more current on the subject on shelf at a given location. Graphics, format and illustrations which look old make a book a candidate for replacement. Suggestions for new editions can be forwarded to Collection Development.ATTACHMENT I
PROCEDURES FOR COMPREHENSIVE COLLECTION EVALUATION PROJECTS
Projects are conducted using a team approach, using one person from the Collection Development Office and a librarian in the branch who is familiar with the particular collection being weeded, its use in the local branch, and the interests of local library users. The Collection Development Specialist contributes an overview of collection additions in the most recent fiscal years, a knowledge of system wide needs and use patterns, and of the current publishing climate.Step One
A Slote circulation study is done to set circulation benchmarks for the parts of collection included in the project.Every library has two collections: the collections that is most likely to be used, termed the core collections, and the collections that represents a small amount of likely future use, termed the inactive collection. To make retention decisions based on use, a cut-off date needs to be determined. Stanley Slote, in his book WEEDING LIBRARY COLLECTIONS, has outlined a method for sampling collection use over time and this finding a cutoff date for deselecting little used books. Using the stamped date on the "due date" sticker, a representative sample of 400 consecutively checked out items is examined to determine the previous return date. From this, the previous check-out date is ascertained by counting back three weeks. As the books come across the desk, to be checked out and stamped, a form is hash marked in the box reflecting the last check-out date. The results are tabulated on the form shown below. The tabulated data is used to establish the time during which 98.9% of the collection will have circulated at least once.
FORM FOR COMPUTING CUT-OFF DATE FROM CIRCULATION SAMPLE
| DATE |
DATE VOLS. WERE USED PRIOR TO CURRENT USE |
IF NO PRIOR USE, DATE ADDED TO PAC |
TOTAL # |
TOTAL % |
CUMULATIVE % |
| 1995 |
312 |
9 |
321 |
79.4 % |
79.4 % |
| 1994 |
71 |
1 |
72 |
17.8 % |
97.2 % |
| 1993 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
1.7 % |
98.9 % |
| 1992 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
< 1 % |
|
| 1991 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
< 1 % |
|
| 1990 & BEFORE |
1 |
0 |
1 |
< 1 % |
|
| TOTAL |
404 |
100 % |
Articles & Information
Weeding from the Collection Development Training for Arizona Libraries (CDT)
This site, sponsored by the Arizona Department of Library, Archives and Public Records, provides practical training in how to perform collection development activities in public libraries. The section on weeding includes: an overview, the importance of a policy, why weeding doesn't occur, and other "how to get it done" information.Weed It! For an Attractive and Useful Collection
Prepared by Karen Klopfer, WRMLS Regional Librarian. Reasons to weed, how to get staff and the public to accept weeding, what to do with weeded materials, and more.THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE - The Facts About Library Fiction
A just-released study gives public librarians new tools for evaluating their adult fiction collections. But a larger question remains: Just what is 'good' fiction, anyway?Evaluating Public Library Fiction Collections - Is There a Core List of Classics?
This project used the OCLC Online Union Catalog (OLUC) of more than 30 million records to examine the nature and predictability of adult fiction classics in public library collections. The study identified those adult fiction book titles most widely held by public libraries whose holdings are represented in the OLUC. These approximately 400 titles were then analyzed to assess their general nature, to determine whether their presence would have been predicted by key recommended and best seller lists, and to explore the feasibility of using such a listing as part of a collection evaluation methodology.Analyzing the Viability of Using Peer Group Holdings as an Evaluation Tool for Public Library Adult Fiction
This project examined the extent of change over a one-year period in the adult fiction titles most held by OCLC member publiclibraries. The purpose of the study was: to contribute to the understanding of the nature of adult fiction collections in publiclibraries; to provide further insight into the nature of a "classic" work of fiction; and to clarify the potential utility of an OCLC-generated list of adult fiction classics for public library collection evaluation."Weed 'em and Reap"
by Carmen Sprovieri, Susanna Hubbard Krimmer and Viola Poletes, London Public Library.GARDENING THE COLLECTION
From the Newsletter of the Manitoba Public Library Services Branch, Canada.
WEEDING SKIT:
By Ricki Nordmeyer, Skokie Public Library
Jon Kadus, Arlington Heights Public Library
Rebecca Vnuk, Chicago Public Library
Notes - Of course, we did improvise a little here and there, and it will lose something without the amazing actor/librarians performing it (HA HA). We just ask that if any of you use it to give us credit and send us a copy of the program indicating this. We had a lot of fun with it and are pleased that so many enjoyed it and found it and Merle's wonderful program useful.
The three "Weeders" enter the stage with various expressions of agony on their faces and approach a table with several books on it. They have dust masks, latex gloves, a feather duster, & printouts with them.
RICKI: Come on, come on . the sooner we do this the sooner it'll be over!!
JON (looking at his watch) What time is it?
REBECCA: What else do you have to do?
JON: I select these materials. I'm behind on my journals.
RICKI: We have NO ROOM! You can't purchase more books if there is no space for them.
JON: There's an idea. Why don't they just read the old ones?!!!
REBECCA: Ooh. Look at them. These books are so dirty !!
JON: Where? Which One? I must have missed that!
REBECCA: Not that kind of "dirty."
RICKI: That's why I brought these things.(distributes masks, gloves: waves around her feather duster) We'll clean as we go.
JON: Are these latex? I won't go into "prophylactic shock, will I?
REBECCA: That's anaphylectic shock.Little chance of either!!!
RICKI: OK OK Let's get started. What's first?
REBECCA : Take Leave and Go by Karel Schoeman. This is like new.
RICKI: It's not in Fiction Catalog. When did it last go out
REBECCA: (checking her printout) It's never gone out.
JON: I know I wouldn't have bought it without a great review.
RICKI : It's never gone out!
REBECCA : What if they make it into a movie.I've heard rumors that Spielberg & Gibson want to do this.
RICKI : OK OK, we'll keep it.
JON: What about this one.Two Little Misogynists by Carl Spitteler. It's not in too good of shape.
REBECCA: It hasn't gone out since 1987.
RICKI: He won the NOBEL prize for Literature in 1919 .We can't discard that. it's an award winner 1 I know, maybe we'll put it on a display.
JON: (under his breath) Of oldy moldy translations!?!
REBECCA: OK, we have 3 copies of Jean Paul Sartre's THE AGE OF REASON. Can we withdraw this copy?
RICKI : He's definitely in Fiction Catalog.
JON : You can never have enough of Sartre!!!
RICKI: What are the chances of three people in this town wanting this at the same time?
JON : You can never have enough of Sartre!!!
RICKI: OK, OK ... What about The Age of Murderous Snailblasters by George Salter? It's not in Fiction Catalog & I've never heard of the author.
REBECCA : It's never gone out.
JON: Wait a minute !!!! Look at this bookplate.
RICKI: Donated by Hester Stoopover. AGGH!!!! The Mayor's wife!
JOHN : You know, I think I pulled this and declared it missing a while back.
REBECCA : She has a stackpile of them. She just redonated it.
REBECCA, RICKI & JON : (in unison) KEEP
RICKI: Mayday by Thomas Block. This was published in 1979.
REBECCA : I was in kindergarten then.
(Ricki & Jon roll eyes)
JON : What time is it? Are we almost done?
REBECCA : What is it? You got a date or something?
JON: As a matter of fact I do.
REBECCA: That must be the first time SINCE I was in kindergarten!!!
RICKI: Alright, alright, back to business here. We have not made any headway, and I'm getting a lot of pressure to do something about these cramped shelves.
I think we can pull MAYDAY. Has it ever gone out?
REBECCA: 82 times. It was just returned last week.
JON : That settles that one.
RICKI: Well, I know we'll get rid of this one with the puke brown library binding. . . The Women at the Pump by Knut Hamsun. It's wretched!
JON : (sputtering) (Make up a Norwegian title.$#@#$% )by Hamsun??? Why my mother read that to me while I sat on her knee. She would roll over in her grave if she knew I had a part in throwing $#@#$% away. Look! It says it's one of the Foreign Classical Romances right here on the cover
RICKI: But it's only volume 1. . .
JON: Then they could get started!!! You just can't throw this away. Why . . .
RICKI & REBECCA : (in unison) KEEP
REBECCA: We have 23 books by James Fenimore Cooper but it looks like the only 3 that have ever circulated are The Deerslayer , The Last of the Mohicans, & The Pathfinder.
RICKI & JON : But it's Cooper, one of the greatest of American authors.
REBECCA : But no one is reading them or cares!!!
RICKI & JON : (in unison) J A M E S F E N N I M O R E C O O P E R
The two point to the table as Rebecca sadly returns the book to the pile.
RICKI: Now for a change of pace : We seem to have 1045 copies of Danielle Steel's books. She is coming out monthly with them now.
JON : YUCK!!!!!! Get rid of them.
RICKI: You know if we just leave 2 copies of each, that would look like we weeded a range of books.
REBECCA : But it's in the S's.
JON: Let Circ shift the Steel shelves.
REBECCA : Yeah, Soon it will all be E-Books so we won't need to weed.
"We're out of here!!"
Ricki Nordmeyer Reader's Advisory Specialist
Skokie Public Library
(847) 673-7774 x 2177
nordr@skokie.lib.il.us
http://www.skokie.lib.il.us
Weeding the Fiction Collection
Merle Jacob
Director of Library Collection Developement
Chicago Public Library
Saturday, July 8, 2000REASONS TO WEED
- Relevance
- Currency
- Appeal
- Circulation
- Accessibility
- Turnover Rate
- Space
- Cost
- Value of a Book
- Awareness
- Balance
- Feedback
REASONS USED NOT TO WEED
- I'm tearing down a collection
- It's sacrilege to throw out a book
- It reflects badly if I weed a book I selected
- A Patron may want it some day
- Quantity equals quality
- I don't know how/I was never taught
- I don't have time
BEGIN BY GATHERING INFORMATION
- Library's Mission
- Library's Collection Goals
- Collection Development Plan
- Profile of the Community
- Usage Statistics
- School Book Lists
- Looking at Shelves
- Neighboring Libraries
- Interlibrary Loan Titles
- Purchasing Procedures
PLAN OF ACTION
- Bring administration and staff on board
- Determine cutoff dates for the various books
- Set up condition parameters for books to be weeded
- Set up the procedures for weeding
WEEDING BOOKS BY CONDITION
- Rebound books that are yellow and brittle
- Books in original bindings that have pages that are yellowed and brittle
- Books with marked pages
- Books with missing pages/illustrations
- Books that are mutilated or damaged
- Books that have broken bindings with gutter margins of less than 1/2 inch
- Mass market paperbacks that have tattered covers and soiled pages
- Books that smell or are moldy
WEEDING PROCEDURES
- If it's in a bibliography, should I weed it?
- Would I be embarrassed if the library didn't own it?
- Does the book fit my community?
- Is it up to date in style and readability?
- Does it have local interest?
- Is the author still living and writing?
- Has it been accessible to patrons?
MERLE'S SUGGESTIONS FOR BOOKS TO WEED
- Duplicate copies
- Books in poor condition or rebound books
- Older single title authors
- Older "trashy" or ephemeral titles
- Obscure foreign authors in little demand
- Earlier or lesser works of authors who have died
- Minor short story collections
- Series books when titles are missing
- Older genre fiction that has become out of date
- Less important titles of classic authors and more obscure classic titles that don't circulate
REMEMBER
- All mistakes can be corrected so don't panic
- Market your collection so that books can be used and find their readers
- Your library is a growing organism so keep weeding so that the "weeds" don't take over and obscure the good stuff
- Keep repeating to yourself "I can't keep it all. I'm not
the Library of Congress."
Do you have a policy, tips, or information about weeding fiction you'd like posted on this web page? Contact Ann Theis: theisa@co.chesterfield.va.us
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Overbooked is a volunteer project undertaken by Ann Chambers Theis: Collection Management Administrator, Chesterfield County (VA) Public Library. 9501 Lori Rd. or P.O. Box 297, Chesterfield, VA, 23832. Phone: 804.748.1760.
Overbooked is not an official Chesterfield County Public Library service. Overbooked.org is a nonprofit web site hosted by CVCO - Central Virginia's Community Online. Overbooked.com is a nonprofit web site in experimental mode. Overbooked does not endorse any commercial providers (or their products and services) linked to from this web site.
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I really appreciate all the e-mail I receive from avid readers and writers and regret that I am not able to respond to all correspondents. Special thanks to those folks who regularly help keep me on track - you know who you are....