Weeding Policy

Weeding is the process of removing items from the library that no longer serve the population, are outdated, or are too worn to circulate.

1. Find forgotten materials
   • In Koha, navigate to Reports → Use Saved → Non-circulating Items. Choose "Action," then "Run."
   • Download as CSV, then sort spreadsheet by call number. This report will deliver all items that have never circulated and those that have not circulated in the past 4 years. [Need to add loanstatus to the SQL report.]
   • Print one section (Dewey class or genre), then head to the stacks.
2. Retrieve ragged materials for repair or recycling
   • Look over the section as a whole, noting overfull sections (>3/4 of the shelf) and misshelved items.
   • Put items from the list on a cart.
   • Pull any additional items damaged beyond use (broken spine, marked/missing pages, torn/worn cover, yellowed pages) on the cart separate from the [unused] items.
   • If shelves remain overfull after pulling items, update the inventory sheet to indicate shelves that need shifting during next inventory.
3. Enliven or eliminate electronic records
   • Scan each item on the cart and look over the MARC record.
   • If the record is incomplete, inaccurate, or the Dewey classification is misleading, make the necessary changes to the record, tag the item as "Lazarus [current year]" in 948$x (Non-public Note). This will allow us to run a secondary report in one year to reassess the item's suitability.
   • If the record is sufficient, delete the item and record and place in removal bin.
   • For damaged items still in circulation, change MARC 944 to "Damaged" and order replacement or place in repair bin.
4. Exchange for alternative, equivalent editions
   • Books available in digital editions should generally be removed and the digital edition ordered. Check circulation guidelines (multi-user, especially) to determine if the current contract will meet future needs.
   • Books with outdated information that are still circulating need close replacements.