SPECIFIC
WEEDING CRITERIA AND SCHEDULE
·
General Works 5
Years
Weeding criteria: The
latest edition of encyclopedias will be on reference. Earlier editions of
encyclopedias may be withdrawn after five years. Older almanacs are replaced by
newer editions.
·
Philosophy 5
Years
Weeding criteria: most
philosophy books do not become outdated. Circulation is often low and is not
necessarily a guide for weeding. Titles are retained unless superseded by more
recent editions. Duplicate copies of low-usage books are weeded as are
superseded editions.
·
Psychology 3
Years
Weeding criteria: 3 year
weeding process is necessary to maintain a live, usable , and up-to-date
collection. Such weeding affords renewed
insight for the subject librarian into
the strengths and weakness of the Behavioral Sciences collection.
·
Religion 5
Years
Weeding criteria:
material does not generally become outdated. Books that are not used should be
considered for weeding after five years. Superseded editions and unused
duplicates are weeded. The collection should have current titles on each major
religion as well as earlier editions of classic or standard texts (at least one
copy), regardless of current curriculum usefulness.
·
Auxiliary Sciences of
History, History: General and Old World ,
History:
America
Weeding criteria:
The mian factors include
demand, accuracy of facts, and fairness of interpretation . Nonetheless , the
history collection should be periodically reviewed and books should be judged
for their continuing usefulness in the collection. In general, it is wise to keep:
- Books
that are too new to show use (purchased within the last five years).
- Older
books that reflect the expectations
of another era, regardless of the
accuracy of predictions made in them about the future. These are useful in
lending perspective to present day expectations of our own
future.
- Otherwise inappropriate books if bibliography, appendice , maps,
illustrations, or other supplementary features are still useful.
- Earlier
editions of classic or standard texts (at least one copy), regardless of
current curriculum usefulness.
·
Geografi 3
Years
Weeding criteria: books
in this area become dated rapidly and should be weeded about every three years
unless it has a significant amount of background or history information
not available anywhere else . Beyond
that, age, usage , size of area collection, physical condition, and
number of copies determine decisions.
·
Athletics 5
Years
Weeding criteria:
Superseded rule books maintained only to
last two editions. Old instructional material considered for discard if new item exist. Items in poor physical
condition should be evaluated to see if rebinding is merited rather than purchase of more recent material. Books on sports
should be weeded if they deal with personalities no longer of interest.
·
Economics 5
Years
Weeding criteria: This
process considers timeliness of research, value of material, number of
sources on topic, age of source, circulation, number of copies, whether part of
set, and physical condition. Consideration of economics interdisciplinary
contribution to geography, history, management, social science and
international affairs.
·
Social Science 5
Years
Weeding criteria:
Interdisiplinary needs are considered
when weeding. Other factors considered are age, usage, extent of collection, years covered in information,
and physical condition of materials. In these subject areas the source tend to be used in a supportive nature and sa such
should not be analyzed heavily according to circulation figures. Unless they
have an historical approach , they are of little use after five years; books on
finance are outdated sooner.
·
Sociology 5
Years
Weeding criteria:
Materials may be withdrawn from the
collection for the following reasons:
Age: Superseded by a later edition.
Physical condition: Materials that have pages missing, unreadable
text, or poor quality paper and are not worth repairing, rebinding or replacing.
Usage: Duplicate copies that have not circulated
once in two years.
Level of treatment: Too superficial or too advanced for college level use.
Subject matter: Older editions in a subject area that has low
circulation activity and numerous other
works.
·
Political Science 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Politcal science interrelates with other
fields such as social science, international affairs, geography, history,
aerospace science and management. Consideration is then given to usage, size of
collection, whether parts of a series, number of copies, age, age, timeliness
of historical value, and physical condition.
·
Law 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Multiple copies, superseded works, some outdated topical books are weeded,
but little else.
·
Education 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Outdated monographs, superseded works, title
not circulated, and duplicates are weeded. No biographical materials are
discarded. Different editions of encyclopedia works may be kept.
·
Music 5 Years
Weeding criteria: Titles are retained , unless superseded by
newer editions. Music books generally do not become outdated.
·
Art 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Art books do not generally become outdated.
·
Foreign Languages and
Literature 5 Years
Weeding criteria: Age and use are not always accurate guides
for weeding literature books. Some critical works (especially superseded
editions) can be weeded by date and usage. Books listed in Essay and General
Literature Index are retained . The fiction is screened againts basic indexes or bibliographies such
as the Short Story Index. Keep criticism of classic writers. Keep history
unless superseded by better titles. Maintain multiple copies of classic literary works.
·
Science 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Materials
may be withdrawn from the collection based
on the following criteria:
Age: Superseded by newer edition, ephemeral material.
Usage: Not checked out in last five years, multiple
copies with little or no use.
Physical condition: Missing pages, text unreadable, water damage,
poor quality paper or other factors that preclude rebinding.
Level of treatment: Too superficial for college level study, newer materials
provide better or expanded explanations
of complex subjects, clearer text styles, and better illustration. New science
discoveries, theories and techniques are continuously being updated.
Subject matter: Older editions in a subject area that has low
circulation activity and numerous other
works.
·
Mathematics 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Books older than ten years should be
withdrawn unless they are “classics”. Older editions are normally withdrawn
when a new editions is received.
·
Computer Science 3
Years
Weeding criteria: Material may be withdrawn from the collection
based on the following criteria.
Age: Superseded by newer editions, ephemeral
material.
Usage: Not used in last 2 – 3 years, copies with few
or no uses.
Physical condition: Missing pages, text unreadable, water damage,
poor quality paper or other factors that preclude rebinding.
Level of treatment: Too superficial for college level study, newer materials
provide better or expanded explanations
of complex subjects, clearer text styles, and better illustration.
·
Astronomy, Physic and
Chemistry 5 Years
Weeding criteria: Books considered for discard include added copies printed more than 10
years ago not identified as “landmark” and those with more than two editions in that
period. Older editions, if superseded, are discarded.
Material on poor quality
or brittle paper with no use during the past five years will be withdrawn if
newer, better books with similar coverage are available.
Books by nondistinguished
authors, in hard-to-read format, with very small print on topics well-covered
by other better prepared monographs are discarded. Basic works of significant
historical or literary value, such as
Darwin’s Origin of Species should be kept indefinitely.
·
Biological Sciences 5 Years
Weeding criteria: Material may be withdrawn from the collection
based on the following criteria.
Age: Superseded by new editions. Material have a
shelf life of ten years.
Usage: Not used in last 3 – 5 years, copies with few
or no uses.
Physical condition: Missing pages, text unreadable, water damage,
poor quality paper or other factors that preclude rebinding.
Level of treatment: Too superficial for college level study,
newer materials provide better or expanded explanations of complex subjects, clearer text
styles, and better illustrations.
·
Medicine 3
Years
Weeding criteria: Material may be withdrawn from the collection
based on the following criteria:
Age: Superseded by newer editions, discoveries are
constantly being announced and older materials may be very misleading or
even dangerous.
Usage: Not checked out in last five years, copies
with little or no use.
Physical condition: Missing pages, text unreadable, water damage,
poor quality paper or other factors that preclude rebinding.
Level of treatment: Too superficial for college level study, newer materials
provide better or expanded explanations
of complex subjects, clearer text styles, and better illustration.
·
Agriculture 5
Years
Weeding criteria: Material may be withdrawn from the collection
based on the following criteria:
Age: Superseded by newer editions, ephemeral
material.
Usage: Not checked out in last five years, copies
with little or no use.
Physical condition: Missing pages, text unreadable, water damage,
poor quality paper or other factors that preclude rebinding.
Level of treatment: Too superficial for college level study, newer materials
provide better or expanded explanations
of complex subjects, clearer text styles, and better illustration.
·
Technology, General 3
Years
Weeding criteria: Materials are withdrawn from the collection
when newer editions are published or if newer material provides better coverage
and treatment and if no usage in five years.
Technology is making such
rapid advances that materials over seven
years old should be viewed with suspicion with obvious
exceptions such as auto and
appliance repair manuals, cookbooks, books on guns, clock, etc.
The
Reference Collection:
Weeding the reference collection
requires some special consideration,
especially as more reference collection include electronic resource. Use of
printed materials is more difficult to determine since most reference works do not circulate.
Most of the criteria for removal remain the same as for circulating
collections, with the possible exceptions of use and currency. Some sources are
considered reference “classic” and may be valuable for many years. Other (especially scientific
medical and technological works) may be quickly outdated. Many reference works
are issued in revised editions, and previous editions can usually be removed.
An exception is any new edition that supplements rather than replaces on older
edition.
Audiovisual
Materials:
Non-print media should be weeded on
a regular schedule just like print materials, althought it can
be harder to judge content and quality without spending a great deal of time
watching or listening to each item. Keep in mind that non-print materials can be
difficult to borrow through interlibrary
loan. Other issues to consider when evaluating non-print materials include
format and condition. Is the format still available? If not and the material are
not replaceable , you may want to investigate transferring unique materials to
current formats. Watch for broken cases, missing pieces, poor sound or visual quality of tapes or CDs. Tapes that become
twisted should be discarded . Video
cassettes should be examined for wear after 100 – 150 circulation’s; they will
probably need to be replaced after 200 –
250 showings. Compact disks are relatively sturdy , but they can be chipped ,
cracked or scratched.