Weeding the library collection. For me, it never fails to be both a liberating and somber experience. Liberating because it’s improving the relevance and usefulness of the collection. Getting rid of dead weight feels good. Somber because I never like to think that I’m removing what may be the biggest point of pride in someone’s life – a published book – from the shelves forever (I’m gonna go ahead and call myself sentimental).
I’m in the midst of weeding the aging nonfiction collection in the 5th and 6th grade school where I work and I decided to take a few pictures of the process. When you see the books, I think you’ll agree with me that these should have been retired a while back. If you need convincing, may I direct your attention to the first sentence of this shot from inside Meter Means Measure:
I’ll say no more. Click here to view the gallery.
10 comments
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February 5, 2010 at 8:52 am
Abby
We had those Isaac Asimov books in my collection, too!
February 5, 2010 at 10:33 am
Madigan
Gosh! I remember when we all had to learn the metric system because it was going to be standard, “next year” and somehow… “next year” never came.
February 5, 2010 at 10:39 am
jules
Oh I bet that Neil Ardley book is fun to peruse.
February 5, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Elisabeth(YSPrincess)
This should be featured on Awful Library Books! Good catch. :)
February 5, 2010 at 10:09 pm
Charlotte
or, as the saying goes, weed it and weep.
February 6, 2010 at 4:09 pm
MotherReader
I always hated weeding at my library – until I’d run across of these gems that I could feel confident had certainly passed their prime. I could almost frame that Man: The Inventor book as a work of art.
February 8, 2010 at 11:05 am
Cindy Dobrez
HA! I weeded Meter Means Measure last spring. Last week it was Gaily We Parade a 1940s poetry collection that hadn’t circ’d in decades.
February 8, 2010 at 11:21 am
Scope Notes
Good to know I’m not alone with some of these!
February 8, 2010 at 11:06 am
Cindy Dobrez
Do you REALLY put your barcodes on the front cover? Ish.
February 8, 2010 at 11:20 am
Scope Notes
Ha – I don’t know why that decision was made way back in the old days (I’m thinking ease of inventory had something to do with it (lovely)), but it frustrates me to no end.