Professional Documents
Culture Documents
An Exercise in Withdrawal
Ben Bahl
LIS748: Collection Management
Berendt
10/15/14
1
Introduction
According to the Texas A&M University-Galveston libraries weeding policy,
Weeding a library is like weeding a garden; one looks over everything and
carefully selects those things which need to be removed. In a library,
weeding is a shelf-by-shelf and book-by-book review and withdrawal of
certain books in a librarys collection.i
Weeding is necessary to make items easier to find, easier to identify, and
easier to house on shelves. Weeding should be done for a variety of reasons,
including currency, accuracy of information, to reduce redundancy, and for
condition. Considerations must be made to determine if other libraries own
the item or if the item can be found in alternative formats.
Description
This project seeks to identify books in the Dominican University circulating
collection that are candidates for de-selection, or weeding Consideration
for weeding relies on a few criteria: the CREW Methodii from the University of
Texas Libraries, physical condition of the item, relevancy of the material
discussed by the item, accuracy of the material discussed by the item,
redundancy (i.e. are there multiple copies?), and presence at other
institutions or in other formats, and determining the shelf-space needed for
the selections to be weededor not weeded.
Scope
The scope of this project is constrained to a portion of the Economics section
of Dominican Universitys circulating collection, numbered HB171.5 .A27
1967 through HB171.5 .K636 according to Library of Congress classification.
That portion of the collection contains about three shelves and 53 items,
some of which are in multiple copies or multiple formats, or which lack
relevancy.
The following table is a list of titles and their corresponding authors in the
span, along with the number of copies, publication dates, and the Library of
Congress call number for each item. A few items feature dates in
parentheses; these dates are best guess publication dates or represent
inconsistencies between the catalog and the shelved item(s).
Abbot, Lawrence
Publicati
on
Date(s)
1967
Ackley, Gardner
1971
Albrecht, William P.
Bach, George
Leland
1
1
1983
1977
Title
Author
# of
Copies
Call
Number
HB171.5
.A27
1967
HB171.5
.A28
HB171.5
HB171.5
.B152
1977
2
The Theory of Macroeconomic
Policy, 2nd Edition
Economic Theory: an Integrated
Text With Special Reference to
Tropical Africa and Other
Developing Areas
Microeconomic Theory: A
Graphical Analysis
Economics: Reality Through
Theory
Macroeconomic Theory
Barrett, Nancy
Smith
Bell, Philip W.
Todaro, Michael P.
1975
1969
Bilas, Richard
1967
Blanchfield,
William C.
Brunhild, Gordon
1973
1974
Macroeconomic Adjustments
Carlson, John A.
1970
Carson, Robert B.
1978
Carter, William H.
Snavely, William P.
Carver, Thomas
Nixon
Cohen, Kalman J.
1961
1919
1975
Darby, Michael R.
1976
Devas, Charles S.
1913
1978
Dickneider,
William
Kaplan, David
Dorfman, Robert
1978
Edgmand, Michael
R.
1979
Edgmand, Michael
R.
1983
Ely, Richard T.
1924(25?)
Ely, Richard T.
1930(31?)
Fellner, William
1960
Ferguson, C.E.
Maurice, S. Charles
Ferguson, C.E.
1970
1966
Ferguson, C.E.
Kreps, Juanita M.
Ferguson, C.E.
Kreps, Juanita M.
1962
1965
Microeconomic Theory
Principles of Economics
Principles of Economics, 2nd Edition
HB171.5
.B3 1975
HB171.5
.B38
HB171.5
.B51
HB171.5
.B653
HB171.5
.B78
HB171.5
.C274
HB171.5
.C276
HB171.5
.C28
HB171.5
.C3
HB171.5
.C78
1975
HB171.5
.D217
1976
HB171.5
.D5
HB171.5
.D544
HB171.5
.D6176
1978
HB171.5
.E36
1979
HB171.5
.E36
1983
HB171.5
.E5
HB171.5
.E52
HB171.5
.F4
HB171.5
.F4138
HB171.5
.F45
HB171.5
.F46
HB171.5
.F46
3
1965
HB171.5
.F58
HB171.5
.F696
HB171.5
.G46
Fleming, Miles
(1969)
Economics: An Introductory
Program
Economics and the Private
Interest: An Introduction to
Microeconomics
Economics
Foster, Edward
1970
Gill, Richard T.
1970
Gitlow, Abraham L.
1962
Gwartney, James
D.
Gwartney, James
D.
Hawke, G.R.
1977
1977
1980
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
1968
1970
1975
1978
1981
1971
1968
HB171.5
.H392
1975
1978
1978
Toward Understanding
Macroeconomics
Toward Understanding
Macroeconomics
Price and Welfare Theory
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Thurow, Lester C.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Thurow, Lester C.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Thurow, Lester C.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Ford, Arthur M.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Ford, Arthur M.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Ford, Arthur M.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Ford, Arthur M.
Heilbroner, Robert
L.
Ford, Arthur M.
Heyne, Paul
Janson, Thomas
Heyne, Paul
Janson, Thomas
Hibdon, James E.
1976
1976
1969
Hirschleifer, Jack
1976
Hirschleifer, Jack
1980
HB171.5
.H392
1975
HB171.5
.H392
1978
HB171.5
.H392
1978b
HB171.5
.H466
HB171.5
.H466
HB171.5
.H47
HB171.5
.H66
HB171.5
HB171.5
.G5
HB171.5
.G962
HB171.5
.G963
HB171.5
.H3495
HB171.5
.H39
HB171.5
.H39
1970
HB171.5
.H39
1975
HB171.5
.H39
1978
HB171.5
.H39
1981
HB171.5
.H391
4
Edition
Markets in the Modern Economy:
An Introduction to Microeconomics
New Prospects in Economic
Analysis
Scarcity Challenged: An
Introduction to Economics
Hogendorn, Jan S.
1974
Kendall, M.G.
1960
Kohler, Heinz
1968
.H66
1980
HB171.5
.H685
HB171.5
.K4
HB171.5
.K636
Process
Each item in the collection has been reviewed according to the CREW
Method, for currency, for redundancy/presence in other formats, for
condition, and for relevance. Items are listed individually, with weeding
decisions below basic title information.
The MUSTIE plan laid out in the CREW Method informs the decisions made for
each item:
M = Misleading
U = Ugly
S = Superseded
T = Trivial
I = Irrelevant
E = Elsewhere
Following that rubric, items will be kept or weeded accordingly.
Holdings at other libraries in Illinois were reviewed via the I-Share portal on
Dominicans catalog.
The CREW Method, beyond providing MUSTIE guidelines, does not really
inform the weeding of this collection. According to the CREW Method,
volumes in Economics that are 3 years out of copyright, 3 years out of most
recent use, or fall into one or more MUSTIE categories should be considered
for weeding. The most recent copyright of any item in this span is 1983.
Replacement items have been located using Amazon.iii
The Dominican University Collection Development Policyiv offers little
guidance in terms of what constitutes an out-of-date title, so the CREW
Method was used to fill in the gaps in doctrine.
Redundancy
Items that have more than one copy on shelf should be pared to one copy.
Therefore, the following items and quantities (in parentheses) will be
weeded.
-Economics and the Modern World, 2nd Edition. Abbot, Lawrence (1)
5
-Political Economy. Devas, Charles L. (1)
-Emergence and Content of Modern Economic Analysis. Fellner, William. (2)
-Economics and the Private Interest: An Introduction to Microeconomics. Gill,
Richard T. (1)
-The Economics Problem, 4th Edition. Heilbroner, Robert L. and Thurow, Lester
C. (1)
-Is Economics Relevant? A Reader in Political Economics. Heilbroner, Robert
L. and Ford, Arthur M. (1)
Currency
The most recent item in the span was published in 1983. The oldest item in
the span was published in 1913. The collection seems to be wildly out of
date; titles ordered to replace weeded items are generally far newer editions
of the same work or completely new titles, several of which were published
in 2012, 2013, or 2014.
Individual Items
Economics and the Modern World, 2nd Edition. Abbot. 1967
Held at several other libraries, and supersedes existing copies at other
institutions. Keep this item.
Macroeconomic Theory, 2nd Edition. Ackley. 1971
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Ecomonics, 3rd Edition. Albrecht. 1983
Weed this item, even though it is only held at Dominican. Replace with the
4th edition of the same work (1986).
Macroeconomics: Analysis and Applications. Bach. 1977
Weed this item. Replace with the 2nd edition of the same work (1980).
The Theory of Macroeconomic Policy, 2nd Edition. Barrett. 1975
Weed this item. Also held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Economic Theory: an Integrated Text With Special Reference to Tropical
Africa and Other Developing Areas. Bell. 1969
Keep this item. Only one other copy in Illinois, at SIU-Edwardsville.
Microeconomic Theory: A Graphical Analysis. Bilas. 1967
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
2 copies of Economics, Glen Hubbard (2013).
Economics: Reality Through Theory. Blanchfield. 1973
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Macroeconomic Theory. Brunhild. 1974
6
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Macroeconomic Adjustments. Carlson. 1970
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Economic Issues Today: Alternative Approaches. Carson. 1968
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
the 6th edition of the same work (2006).
Intermediate Economic Analysis. Carter. 1961
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Koops Analysis of Economic Data (2013).
Principles of Political Economy. Carver. 1919
Remove this item to archival storage. The item is water damaged and held
at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Theory of the Firm: Resource Allocation in a Market Economy, 2nd Edition.
Cohen. 1975
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Becerras Theory of the Firm for Strategic Management: Economic Value
Analysis (2009).
Macroeconomics: the Theory of Income, Employment, and the Price Level.
Darby. 1976
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Krugmans Macroeconomics (2012).
Political Economy. Devas. 1913
This title from 1913 already has two copies on the shelf and is quite fragile.
To protect the existing items, one copy should be put in archival storage.
from shelves. Digital copies are available from the HathiTrust. Replace with
Friedens International Political Economy: Perspectives on Global Power and
Wealth, 5th Edition (2009) and Weingasts The Oxford Handbook of Political
Economy (2008).
Choice and Change: An Introduction to Economics. Dickneider. 1978
Keep this item. Only copy in I-Share.
Prices and Markets, 3rd Edition. Dorfman. 1978
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Hirshleifers Price Theory and Applications: Decisions, Markets, and
Information (2005).
Macroeconomics: Theory and Policy. Edgmand. 1979
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
7
Froyens Macroeconomics: Theories and Policies, 10th Edition (2012)
Macroeconomics: Theory and Policy. Edgmand. 1983
Keep this item. Only copy in I-Share.
Outlines of Economics, 4th Edition. Ely. 1924 (1925?)
Keep this item, but remove to archival storage. Condition is okay, but the
volume is fragile with thin stock for the text block. Other copies are
available through I-Share.
Outlines of Economics, 5th Edition. Ely. 1930 (1931?)
Keep this item, but remove to archival storage. Condition is okay, but the
volume is fragile with thin stock for the text block. Other copies are
available through I-Share.
Emergence and Content of Modern Economic Analysis. Fellner. 1960
Three copies of this item are on shelf. Weed one copy, but keep one in
reserve. Condition is okay, but not great. All three spines are reinforced with
book tape, and the cloth-over-board covers are faded and beginning to wear
on corners. The item is also held at several other institutions.
Economic Analysis. Ferguson. 1970
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Antells Economics: Institutions and Analysis (2004).
Microeconomic Theory. Ferguson. 1966
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Brownings Microeconomics: Theory and Applications (2011).
Principles of Economics. Ferguson. 1962
Keep this item. Held at only two other locations in I-Share.
Principles of Economics, 2nd Edition. Ferguson. 1965
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Introduction to Economic Analysis. Fleming. (1969)
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
McAfees Introduction to Economic Analysis (2009).
Economics: An Introductory Program. Foster. 1970
Keep this item. Held at only three other institutions in I-Share.
Economics and the Private Interest: An Introduction to Microeconomics. Gill.
1970
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Dolans Introduction to Microeconomics, 4th Edition (2010).
9
Weed this item. Out of date and superseded by subsequent editions. Held at
numerous other institutions in Illinois.
Understanding Microeconomics, 4th Edition. Heilbroner. 1978
Keep this item, even though it is out of date and superseded. Augment with
the 9th edition of the same title (1990).
Understanding Macroeconomics, 6th Edition. Heilbroner. 1978
Keep this item, even though it is out of date and superseded. Augment with
the 9th edition of the same title (1990).
Toward Understanding Macroeconomics. Heyne. 1976.
Keep this item. Only copy in I-Share.
Toward Understanding Macroeconomics. Heyne. 1976.
Keep this item. Only copy in I-Share.
Price and Welfare Theory. Hibdon. 1969
Weed this item. Held at numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with
Pigous The Economics of Welfare (2013).
Price Theory and Applications. Hirschleifer. 1976
Weed this item. Out of date and superseded by subsequent edition. Held at
numerous other institutions in Illinois. Replace with Landsbergs Price
Theory and Applications (2013).
Price Theory and Applications, 2nd Edition. Hirschleifer. 1980
Keep this item. Augment with the 7th edition (2005) of the same title.
Markets in the Modern Economy: An Introduction to Microeconomics.
Hogendorn. 1974
Keep this item. Held at only three other libraries in I-Share.
New Prospects in Economic Analysis. Kendall. 1960
Keep this item, but shift to archival storage and digital copy. Currently
bound in heavy card stock. Rebind?
Scarcity Challenged: An Introduction to Economics. Kohler. 1968
Keep this item. Held at a few other libraries in I-Share, but not many.
Summary
This hypothetical weeding project presented an opportunity to get into a
collection and gain greater understanding of evaluation, selection, and deselection of items. It underlined the importance of time spent in a collection
and the need for careful, but decisive action when weeding. The collections
healthy growth depends on that kind of consideration.
10
Many items were weeded outright, while a couple made it into archival
storage. Other items can be found at other libraries in I-Share, or digitally
through the HathiTrust or as e-books. Most, but not all, of the weeded items
were replaced either with more current editions of the same title or newer
titles that covered similar ground.