Module 7

Kristin DePodesta
Collection Maintenance
I performed collection maintenance in my schools library media center over the past couple of
weeks. My library media specialist set me up with an automation system report. Together we
decided I would work on the 000s(Generalities), 100s(Philosophy and Psychology), and
200s(Religion). As per a past report that I already had, I knew I was looking at an older collection.
The average age of the 000s is 1989, the average age of the 100s is 1990, and the average age of the
200s is 1983. Already, this is surpassing the general weeding guidelines of anything older than 5-10
years. It was definitely an interesting assignment and one in which I had an internal struggle, being
someone that is a natural purger. I can see that there definitely has to be a balance that librarians
face, following weeding guidelines while still maintaining a full, useful collection to students.
Throughout my time performing collection maintenance in the library, there were few books that
had to be reshelved. While shelf reading the particular sections that I had the reports run for, I did
come across some books that needed to be reshelved into the proper location in that section.
The table below is a summary of my findings from the collection maintenance. Ive indicated which
books were checked out at the time as well as books that were missing from the collection. Ive also
summarized my weeding suggestions for the collections as well as replacement suggestions. Ive
certainly underestimated the time and scrutiny it takes for a librarian to perform collection
maintenance well. It is an ongoing task that needs to be done continuously in order to keep a library
up to date. It was apparent in my own library how aged many of the books were.

Checked Out Books

Call Number

Title

001.942 WRI

UFO Headquarters

155.9 SMI

Name all the animals: a memoir

170 THI

This I believe: the personal philosophies of remarkable men and

women

Missing Books
Call Number

Title

Notes

001.94 GAF

The Bermuda Triangle:

opposing viewpoints

Report indicated 2, but there

was only 1 book on shelf

003 TAL

The black swan: the impact of

the highly improbable

004 HAL

Electronic brains: stories from

the dawn of the computer

070.92 MCC

Ida M. Tarbell: the woman who

challenged big business

133 PAR

Paranormal phenomena:
opposing viewpoints

154.2 MLO

Subliminal: how your

unconscious mind rules you

155.2 STE

Revolution from within: a book

of self-esteem

155.264 ESP

Knowing me, knowing you: the

I-sight way to understand

174 ETH

Ethics

174 EUT

Euthanasia: opposing
viewpoints

174 LEV

Medical ethics

174 WIN

Cloning

174.2 BIO

Biomedical ethics: opposing

viewpoints

220 BRU

History of the Bible in English:

from the earliest versions

267 MCN

A story of suffering and hope:

lessons from Latino youth

289.3 BOO

The Book of Mormon

291 BAR

A companion to world
mythology

Report indicated 3, but there

were none on shelf

Weeding Suggestions
Call Number

Title

Rationale

001.4 ROT

The research paper: process,

form, and content

The book is from 1983 and

there is no checkout history on
the book. There is a typewriter

on the cover which does not

make it appealing to todays
readers.
001.5 FUC

Cybernetics for the modern

mind

The book is from 1971 and is

referring to the modern mind.
The book has not been checked
out since 1991.

001.64 WIL

How to repair and maintain

your Apple computer

The book is from 1985 and has

never been checked out. The
computers in the book are not
relevant today.

001.6404 SAW

1001 things to do with your

personal computer

The book is from 1980 and has

never been checked out. The
information given on personal
computers is not relevant to
personal computers today.

001.9 SUL

We are not alone: the search

for intelligent life on other
worlds

Very faded book cover. Book is

from 1964. Not checked out
since 1989.

005.4 HAR

Windows 3.1 for dummies

quick reference

Outdated version of windows

that is used at school.

128.2 SAG

Brocas brain: reflections on

the romance of science

Faded and torn book cover. Not

checked out since 1991.

172 SHA

Exploring nonviolent
alternatives

Outdated from 1971 and never

has been checked out.

198.9 PAL

Soren Kierkegaard,
philosopher and existentialist

Book is from 1972. Never has

been checked out according to
records. Cover is old and sticky.

289.3 TAY

Nightfall at Nauvoo

Book is from 1971. Last

checked out in 1975. Cover of
book is outdated looking.

290 LAN

World Religions

Book is from 1965 and last

checked out in 1998. Cover of
book is faded and worn.

291 BLK

Bulfinchs Mythology

Book is from 1959 and was

never checked out according to
the record. It is a paperback
book and the cover is ripped.

Replacement Suggestions
Title

Suggestion

Opposing Viewpoints (all

books)

Replace with Opposing Viewpoints database in order to have

easier accessibility and to keep current.

1001 things to do with your

personal computer (see
weeding section above)

Replace with Managing Your Digital Footprint by Robert Grayson

Cybernetics for the modern

mind (see weeding section
above)

Replace with Cybernetics: Second Edition: Or the Control and

Communication in the Animal and the Machine by Norbert
Wiener