[CALIBK12] Summary: Weeding the reference collection

[Elena Loomis]

Thanks to all who responded.

 

Below are the responses I received. I am using parts of all of the
suggestions. I am using Recommended Reference Books (Libraries Unlimited,
2008) which I borrowed from our public library. The problem with it is it
only recommends new books. I signed up for a trial of the Wilson High Senior
High Catalog that I will use as soon as I get it. I am considering the age
(over ten), accuracy, the topic, and whether we have something else on the
subject. I am changing some books to nonfiction; I am also asking teachers
if they see anything that I am considering weeding that they want me to keep
(not much luck with this. I am also offering the discards to teachers). I am
not being as ruthless as I might if I knew the collection and patterns of
use.

 

I am still struggling with weeding the history and literature collections:
what and how many "Decade" or World Literature books to keep as an example.
Any additional suggestions would be welcome.

 

Responses:

 

I have hung on to an old (OLD!) Biographical dictionary because my 4th
graders need sources for information on Vizcaino. That was the only source I
could find until just recently, found a page on the Internet on him. Still,
it gives me (or the teacher) an opportunity to show kids that there are a
wide variety of sources, and some old sources do still have value. I am a
devoted weeder most of the time, but there are a few things I still hang on
to. Any chance of storing those old reference materials in your new office
on a low shelf, that way if you need them over the course of the next year
or so, you'll still have them?

 

I would say not to weed them yet, just until you get another year or 2 under
your belt and really get a feel for the school curriculum.

If you find science things that highlight "One day we might go to the moon"
of course, those should go! (I found a science ency. set that stopped in
1969 when I moved into my library position. Couldn't wait to weed those!

 

If you need the space and no teachers are using old reference materials,
delete them.  The question is what is "old and obsolete."

 

You can order professional books from Linworth, Gale, the usual library
publishers who will give you guidelines to follow, but after 25 years in
underfunded, poorly managed school districts in California, I learned to
wait a year or two and then get rid of what I know is not being used by
students or staff.  I had to throw away twenty years of magazines at a high
school,we had data bases for 3=4 years.  Now, with so little funding, we
have no data bases.

I keep five years of U.S. News, Newsweek, Time and very little else.

 

Get rid of reference books older than ten years unless there is a really
important reason to hang on a bit longer.  The material and statistics are
practically out of date before the school received the book.  Be "ruthless".

 

If it's in good shape, current (not erroneous information), and of interest
to students, keep it. This is my 2nd year in a very antiquated library, and
I'm so glad I kept some of the reference books I did. Our sophomores are
doing National History Day for the first time this year, and they are
thrilled (.ok, make that astonished) at some of the materials-especially
primary sources-I'm digging up for them. They have not had a lot of
experience with finding useful things between the covers of books (sigh.).

 

Why don't you get a copy of Wilson's Senior High School Catalog (although I
think it has a different name now) and use it to help you decide. What you
don't want to do is get rid of everything because students need to check
what they find online with other resources both online and in print.

 

Intershelve it within the non-fiction.  Allow overnight checkout of all
reference material.  Reference is actually going away.  It's a nice next
step for reference.  You'll know what is used and what isn't.

 

 

My Reference Collection is also greatly underused as online resource use
increases.  We are hoping to remodel our library this summer and I am going
to interfile my Reference Collection with my Non-Fiction books.  Non-Fiction
use is increasing and hopefully the Reference Collection will benefit from
this somewhat unconventional trial.  I can always change back if is doesn't
work.  Opinions?

 

 

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