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POLICY

De-selection should reflect the goals and objectives of the Library. Criteria for de-selection should be similar to those used initially for selection on the understanding that selection and withdrawal are different facets of the same continuous process.

The ultimate responsibility for the de-selection of all materials lies with the City Librarian acting according to the general policies established by the Library Board. In practice, this authority is delegated to professional staff.

The Library maintains a policy of on-going discarding based upon the elimination of unnecessary items, outdated materials, materials no longer of interest or in demand, duplicates, worn or mutilated copies. Frequency of circulation, community or regional interest and availability of newer and more up-to-date materials are of prime consideration.

Materials withdrawn from the collection are disposed of at the annual book sale or discarded.

General Principles

Every library consists of two distinguishable collections: the core collection and the non-core collection.

Core Collection

The core collection is the collection that will satisfy most demands for information. Past usage is a valid reliable prediction of future use. Items with heavy past usage and current active usage are core collection materials and not candidates for weeding. If an item has not been used for two years at Central and one year at the Branches, the likelihood of future use is small and it is not a candidate for the core collection.

Some items, although not core collection material, may be retained in the collection without seriously impairing the collection. These are:

1.Works of local authors.

2.Works related to local history.

3.Works of famous authors including the "classics".

4.Works that are unique to the collection in that there is little or no information available on that topic elsewhere.

Non-core Collection

The non-core collection includes: any item whose usage has diminished so that its removal from the collection will not impair that collection's information capabilities; any item that has been on the shelf and unused for two or more years (according to circulation statistics) and does not meet the criteria of 1, 2, 3, or 4 above.

Hamilton Public Library is also a resource library. This means that classics and standard works must be retained despite low usage. Materials related to local history are never considered for weeding.

Knowledge of customer needs acquired by working on information desks, and by analyzing reference statistical sheets, reserves and overdue slips, is helpful in deciding which books should be removed from the collection.

De-selection Criteria

Weeding/de-selection is the process of determining if an item still deserves a place on the library shelves.

Assessment of the collection should be based on the following criteria:

1) Usage/Age

•Frequency of use/potential use

•In-house use (some marking required at re-shelving time)

•interlibrary loan circulation

•Age: publication, imprint, or copyright; purchase or shelving date

2) Value/Quality

•Subject matter

•Historical importance

•Cost

•Availability of other materials in the field

•Physical appearance/condition relative to other factors of importance

•Individual monograph titles are judged of value/quality by their appearance on standard lists or by the opinion of a specialist or group of specialists

3) Deterioration

•Worn, damaged

•Aged, dirty

•Superceded

•Duplicated

This policy was approved by the Hamilton Public Library Board September 23, 1985