It isn’t the role of most libraries to indefinitely retain every item purchased. A hands-on project like this is essentially a review of the materials on the shelves, and it shows the librarian where a collection needs attention, either in the form of removing outdated materials or in purchasing new ones.
Reducing physical shelving to allow new uses of the space (e.g. more seating).Ī weeding project is also a great way for the librarian to gauge the strengths and weaknesses of a collection. Making it easier for users to navigate and use the collection. Creating space on the shelves for new purchases. Removing worn and damaged materials from the shelves. Removing outdated materials and information from the collection. Ensuring the materials the library provides to its users are up-to-date. Providing a collection which matches library users’ current interests and needs. The reasons for undertaking a weeding project include: Weeding projects can take the form of ongoing work, as the need for adjustments to the collection are discovered, or they can be planned, larger-scale initiatives. In either case, a librarian will select a collection area (typically related to his or her subject expertise and responsibility) and review the items on the shelves using the criteria above. Depending on the scope of the project, this work can take days or it can take months. An eBook has two advantages over print books: It is available to users when the library building is closed and it requires less processing and maintenance work by staff members. A library may opt to provide an electronic copy of a book (or purchase an electronic copy) instead of or in addition to a print copy. Electronic access – In the past ten years, many books have become available in electronic format. A library may decide to keep only the most recent edition of a title since it contains the most timely information on the topic. As new information comes to light or as the topic changes the original edition is revised and updated a second or a third or a fourth time. Newer editions – Many academic titles are published in multiple editions. But if the book is considered no longer of value to the library’s users it will be discarded. If the book is still useful to the library’s users it can be rebound, or a new copy can be purchased. Condition – When a library staff member discovers a damaged book on shelf, there is a decision to make. Usage and (old) age typically go hand-in-hand when it comes to weeding decisions. 
Usage – Libraries collect a lot of statistics about how often their collections are used, and if a book is shown to have not been checked out by anyone for an extended period of time it is a candidate for deselection.This is especially true in rapidly-changing disciplines like Law, the physical sciences, and Computer Science (Windows 2008, anyone?). Age is much less of a factor in the Arts and Humanities. Age – This is a big one. Generally speaking, the older information is the less relevant and useful it is to users.The criteria used for removing something from the shelf can include: Weeding is evaluating the items in a library’s collection based on certain criteria and then deciding whether to retain or discard each item. The other process is by removing materials from it. One process for doing this is through adding new materials to the collection. Over time, what is taught and what is researched changes existing programs may be de-emphasized or even discontinued, while new programs and departments are added. Faculty and graduate students begin doing research in new areas. The library needs to regularly review and renew its collections to ensure its materials are still meeting the needs of students and faculty. The primary purpose of a college or university library is to support the teaching and research occurring at the institution. But the removal of previously purchased and donated volumes from a collection–colloquially called weeding, more formally called deselection-is an important part of a library’s collection maintenance. And when people find out libraries discard books they can be confused and, in some cases, upset.
While everyone knows libraries purchase new books for their shelves, not everyone is aware libraries also regularly remove books from their shelves.
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