Weeding

The Collection Development Policy serves as a guide for weeding and maintaining the collection as well as for the selection of materials. Weeding aids in maintaining the collection by implementing standards of currency, usage, physical quality, and need. Recognizing that not every part of the collection can be evaluated by the same criteria, the following are general guidelines for withdrawing materials:

• Item is so worn and dirty as to discourage use
• Item is damaged beyond repair
• Item is superseded by a new edition or better work on the same subject
• Item is outdated
• Item is not being used
• Item is inappropriate for the collection
• Item is readily available through other libraries

Evaluation and weeding of the collection are necessary to keep the collection responsive to patrons’ needs, to insure its vitality and usefulness to the community, and to make room for newer materials. Withdrawn materials that are in good condition will be put into the book sale. Materials withdrawn from the Reference collection which retain informational value may be transferred to the circulating collection.

Adopted 5/22/85 Rev. 4/9/96, 6/5/07