WEEDING POLICY: Procedures: Responsibility Before being discarded each item is reviewed by the school librarian based on professional

judgment and knowledge of the collection and curriculum. The school librarian may at times look to classroom instructors for their recommendations. Identification Identify any item that has not circulated within 12 months. Identify items that are in poor physical condition. Retrieve old titles by checking copyright/publication date in the catalog. Discard Items to be weeded will be removed from shelf and catalog. Items will be recycled to Better World Books. All weeded items should be clearly marked and put aside. Reasons to Weed: To ensure that the collection is relevant to the curriculum and meets the students' current research needs. To provide an appealing and up-to-date collection that is actively used by the campus community. To make space for newer and better items.

General Weeding Criteria

Discard superseded editions that do not contain unique information, data, or provide a historical reference not available in the most current edition. Do not keep duplicate titles unless a proven demand exists for multiple copies. Discard titles unused within a reasonable time period based on subject and scope of the work except for items considered classics or standard editions. Discard if currency or reliability of the resource's information has lost value. Discard superfluous subjects no longer relevant to the curriculum. Items in poor condition that are beyond reasonable preservation efforts.

Subject Specific Weeding Criteria General Works: Replace at least one set of encyclopedias every five years. Almanacs and yearbooks are replaced with newer editions. Philosophy: Most philosophy books do not become outdated. Psychology: Follow general weeding criteria. Religion: Most religion books do not become outdated.

History: Follow general weeding criteria. Geography: Books in this area can quickly become outdated. Athletics: Follow general weeding criteria. Social Science: Follow general weeding criteria. Economics: Retain primary works by distinguished economists. Sociology: Retain primary works by distinguished sociologists. Political Science: Retain all primary works. Law: Follow general weeding criteria. Education: Retain biographical materials. Music: Music books generally do not become outdated. Art: Art books generally do not become outdated. Literature and Language: Retain criticism of classic titles. Keep multiple copies of classic literary works. Pure Science: Remove older materials when newer materials are available that provide better explanations of complex subjects. Materials become outdated when there are new scientific discoveries, theories and techniques in the area. Mathematics: Retain classics. Normally withdraw older editions when superseded by new ones. Computer Science: Materials in this area become outdated quickly. Withdraw older editions when superseded by new ones because newer materials in this area often provide more up-to-date development, better explanations and illustrations. Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry: Retain titles that are regarded as 'landmark' in the area. Retain works of significant historical or literary value. Biological Science: Follow general weeding criteria. Medicine: Constantly monitor changes in disease diagnosis and treatment. Discard older editions when superseded by new ones. Older materials may be very misleading or even dangerous. Agriculture: Discard older editions when superseded by new ones. Technology: Withdraw materials when newer editions are published or newer material provides better coverage and treatment except auto and appliance repair manuals, cookbooks, and books on guns, clocks, etc. Military: Follow general weeding criteria.

Bibliography & Library: Follow general weeding criteria.

This weeding policy was taken and modified from the Butte College Library. This policy was chosen because of the specificity of what to weed from different classifications. In addition to this, this library policy also identifies how often weeding reports should be generated, and how the books will be discarded. I chose to donate my books to Better World Books because it is a free service that gives back a portion of the profits that the donated books generate. Better World Books also donates to a non-profit literacy group and sells the books to benefit third world countries. Baltimore County Public Schools notes that weeding helps to keep collections current and relevant to students. The BCPS states these guidelines: Library media materials should be weeded if they:

Are in poor physical condition Have not been circulated in the last five years Are outdated in content, use, or accuracy (Copyright date should be considered; however, do not make a decision to weed based solely on the copyright date of the material. Some older material may be considered classic or may be of great historical value to your collection.) Are mediocre or poor in quality Are biased or portray stereotypes Are inappropriate in reading level Duplicate information which is no longer in heavy demand Are superseded by new or revised information Are outdated and unattractive format, design, graphics, and illustrations Contain information which is inaccessible because they lack a table of contents, adequate indexing, and searching capabilities Are not selected in accordance with general selection criteria

The policy that Butte College lays out meets many of the criteria through the general guidelines, but the specificity for weeding books based on type makes sure that each of the weeded items should be weeded.

Works Cited Selection Criteria for School Library Media Center Collections. Publication. Baltimore County Public Schools. 2 Oct. 2013 <http://www.bcps.org/offices/lis/office/admin/selection.html>. Weeding Policies. Publication. Butte College Library. 2 Oct. 2013 <http://www.butte.edu/services/library/policies/weeding.html>.